


Savior

by GrammarGrrrl



Category: Dragon Ball
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst with a Happy Ending, F/M, Panchy is a badass, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-04
Updated: 2019-05-23
Packaged: 2019-05-27 07:29:41
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 15
Words: 96,223
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15019697
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GrammarGrrrl/pseuds/GrammarGrrrl
Summary: Off the cuff. No idea where I'm going with this. Leaving my normal composition technique of outlines galore and writing DIRECTLY into AO3.Concept: Role reversal. Goku doesn't go to Earth, Bulma goes to Vegetasei.Starting with Dragonball, not sure how many story arcs I'm going to cover, or how long it's gonna be. This first chapter's been clawing at my brain, so I'm putting proverbial pen to paper and writing for the first time in a year.





	1. Prologue: Part I

**Author's Note:**

> Dialog contained in brackets has been translated from native alien languages because, let's face it... Do you REALLY want me to waste time creating languages like Tolkien when I could be working on plot?  
> Yeah, that's what I thought too.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> How Trunks and Panchy "Bunny" met and fell in love. I really felt like this character development was needed before going anywhere. If you can't understand Bulma's parents, then the rest of the story will go nowhere for you because I got big plans for these two and how they shape the characters they meet.

Kami had heard that in the face of certain death, your life flashes before your eyes. To an extent, it was true. He remembered the family he left behind on Namek to be recruited by King Kai as the Guardian of Earth, but where time seemed to slow down in its repeat of his lengthy existence was when the notorious Briefs gained his attention.

Well, they weren't both "Briefs" when he first found them. When he first found them, they were simply high school students working on a school project...

* * *

 

The students from Orange Star High School gathered around their bus, preparing to load up for their field trip.

"As you all know, we're headed to the West City Natural History Museum today so that you can all begin your research projects. When we arrive I will read the list of partners, you will- IN PAIRS, explore the museum. You will work together and decide upon a subject for your mid-term paper. At the end of the day you will submit the subject of your paper to me as we re-board the bus," the teacher explained.

The students groaned collectively and the teacher shushed them as the bus took them on the short 30 minute trip from the school to the museum. The students began to disembark, and in an attempt to blend in and not be noticed Trunks tried to hide behind a group of jocks. Mrs. Nagasaki began pairing off the students on her list as he stared at his ten-year-long crush without her realization. He watched her chat with her friends, her perfect white teeth gleaming behind ruby red lips so full and perfect he could spend all day kissing them. She casually flipped her blonde curls over her shoulder and his breath caught in his throat as her glacier blue eyes locked with his and he could've sworn she was smiling just for him. He darted back behind the group of football players hoping he hadn't just been caught staring. He'd been in love with Panchy "Bunny" Smith since her family first moved to West City when they were in 2nd grade. What started as innocent puppy love had blossomed into full-blown lust-driven desire at the behest of adolescent hormones and anatomical development.

"TRUNKS BRIEFS!" the teacher called.

Trunks popped out from behind the opposite side of the group of jocks, "Um, yeah?"

"You'll be with...BUNNY!" the teacher screeched.

Panchy rolled her eyes as she stepped forward, "I'm right here, yanno. There's no need to scream!"

The teacher rolled her eyes right back and gave Trunks and Panchy their tickets to the museum.

Panchy remembered the shy purple haired boy from shared classes throughout their childhood and wondered why he never tried to be a part of her social circle. There was something endearing about him, something unique that caught her attention in ways the meat-headed jocks couldn't seem to manage. She offered her hand and smiled softly at his surprised look as he took the offered hand, "Panchy Smith, but my friends call me 'Bunny'."

Trunks pulled his hand back before Bunny could feel the sweat on his palms, "I know. We've gone to school together for about 10 years."

Bunny tried not to be offended at how quickly he dropped her hand, and instead gave him a shy and innocent smile as she looked up at him through her lashes, "You can call me Bunny if you want."

His hormone driven teenage mind would memorize the breathless way she spoke that sentence for the rest of his life, he was sure of it. As sure as he was that his face was turning a sudden shade of crimson.

"Um, ok Bunny... Where should we start?" Trunks asked as they made their way into the museum's grand foyer.

"Well, I'm more of a history buff... but I have a feeling you're more into science, am I right?" Bunny asked with a smile.

Trunks blushed, "Well, let's just explore the museum and see if we find anything interesting?"

They made for the paleontology exhibit, and while they marveled at the dinosaurs, Trunks asked, "See anything interesting?"

Bunny gave a sweet smile and a giggle, "I know I said I was into history, but this wasn't what I meant."

They meandered through the halls, checking out the exhibits on Earth science and getting caught up in the run-off simulator that allowed them to make tiny continents in a sandbox that gave a live display hologram of how precipitation would run off. They both had a good laugh after exiting the hurricane simulator and saw each other's hair. They made their way to the Space wing that contained the planetarium, and Bunny saw Trunk's face fill with wonder. She admired the unguarded look on his face of pure wonder, his hair still a bit disheveled from the hurricane simulator and his dark eyes full of amazement as he took in the giant holographic display of our solar system. She felt her heart clench when he turned that adoring look to her and for a moment she was at a loss for words.

"So, um... see anything interesting?" she asked shyly.

Trunks suddenly blushed a deep crimson and looked away, back to the planets on display, "I'm going to go there someday." He said softly.

"Space? But it's so cold and... scary," Bunny said, sidling up close as the two observed the planets revolving around their star.

"And so full of possibilities! Countless stars, with planets orbiting them... the infinite possibilities of the universe..." Trunks droned on.

"Do you think there's life out there?" Bunny asked quietly.

"I think the universe is far too big a place for us to be the only sentient life in it," Trunks replied matter-of-factly.

As he turned to look at her, time seemed to stop. There in the dark hall, illuminated by the holographic light, Panchy's beauty took on an ethereal look. Her blue eyes sparkled with the reflected stars and her blonde hair with the mussed curls glowed like an angelic halo around her head. Trunks burned the image of her at that moment into his brain, wanting to keep it in his mind forever. He was at war with himself, wanting to wrap his arms around her and kiss those ruby red lips until he left her breathless.

Instead, he grabbed her hand and dragged her out of the planetarium towards the less traveled halls of the museum. They quietly toured the History wing of the museum, past the ancient Egypt displays, through Dark Age Europe, and finally arriving at the all but abandoned hall of Asian history. Bunny was quietly observing the ancient armor of the horde of Genghis Khan when suddenly she heard an excited Trunks gasp.

"Bunny! Look!" He called, as she made her way to where he was standing. It was a display of items looted by Genghis Khan, and in the center was a small amber-colored orb with a single star contained within the transparent sphere. As Bunny got closer, she stood next to Trunks, she stared at the strange orb.

"Is the star facing you?" Trunks asked.

Bunny gave a questioning look as she nodded, and Trunks grabbed her hand. She stifled a gasp at the spark she felt shoot up her arm that filled her with a warm sensation, but by the look on Trunk's face, she assumed he hadn't felt it.

"Look," he pointed to the orb as she made her way around the podium where it was displayed and noticed that the star within continued to face her no matter what angle she viewed it from. As the duo stepped closer, the orb shimmered and they both gasped.

"Did you see that?" Bunny gasped.

Trunks nodded and reached into his bag, pulling out a similar orb with three small stars within. As he held the orb in his hand, both began to shimmer and then gently pulse with light.

"What are they?" Bunny asked in a breathless whisper.

"According to the display, it's called a 'Dragon Sphere', this one," Trunks pointed to the orb on display with the single star in the center, "was part of Genghis Khan's loot that he acquired in his raids."

"So where did you get this one?" Bunny asked, pointing to the still pulsing orb in Trunk's hand.

"My father gave it to me. He said it was an ancient lucky charm from Japan," Trunks replied. "But I've never seen it do this before! I thought it was just a charm caught in amber, I didn't think there were more of them."

The two stood there in amazement when a voice came over the museum-wide intercom system, startling them out of their reverie.

"The museum will be closing in 30 minutes."

Bunny turned to Trunks, "I think this is fate. We were supposed to be here, supposed to find this."

Trunks smiled shyly at Bunny, "So, did we find the subject of our project?"

"I think so!" Bunny replied, as she quickly scribbled the information on the Dragon Spheres onto a sheet of paper, signing both of their names to it. "We'd better head back or we'll miss the bus back to school!"

...

A week later, Trunks found Bunny between classes, an excited look on his face, ranting about their project.

"I can come by after cheerleading practice, if that's not too late," Bunny suggested.

"That sounds great! You'll never believe what I discovered!" Trunks said as he hurried off with his arms full of books. "It's amazing!"

...

Later that afternoon, Bunny arrived at Capsule Corp, Trunk's home, and was amazed at the facilities Trunks had at his disposal.

"You're never going to believe this!" Trunks said excitedly as they made their way down to his personal laboratory.

"This place is amazing!" Bunny said with astonishment. "I had no idea you had access to this kind of stuff!"

"Yeah, my dad is a science professor at the university, but he does a lot of side projects for the military. I help him out with some stuff, but he gets pissed when I get underfoot so he gave me my own lab so we won't be bowling each other over with every turn." As they entered the lab, Bunny was shocked at all the advanced technology Trunks had at his disposal. "Wow, are you some kind of genius or something?" She asked.

Trunks smirked, "Something like that. Check this out." Trunks led her to a podium that contained the one star Dragon Sphere, delicately perched in the grasp of thin metallic fingers and a green laser humming as a beam targetted the star within.

Bunny gasped, "How did you manage to get that from the museum?"

Trunks blushed, "Well, my dad has some pull with the board of the museum. Technically, it's 'on loan'... but never mind that, check this out!"

He pulled out his three-star sphere and held it close to the one under the laser, and both began shimmering and pulsing. The beam from the laser grew brighter and the computers in the room started beeping with urgency. Bunny stared in wonder, then looked to Trunks as if to ask what it all means, when he darted over to his desk.

"That's nothing! Check this out!" Trunks returned to the one-star sphere and held out both his hands- one containing his three-star ball, and the other containing a new sphere with four stars. As the two spheres came into proximity with the one-star sphere, all three began shimmering and pulsing with a brighter light than before, the laser pulsing brighter as well and the computers frantically beeping.

Bunny gasped, "Where? How? OMIGOSH, Trunks! This is amazing!"

Trunks grinned with pride and began to explain, "I found it on Mt. Paozu, this enormous guy named Oxford King had it. I traded the sphere by telling him I could get him a job on my father's lab security team. I guess there's some girl he's trying to impress, and he wants a good job with a fancy title. I told him my Dad needs a new head of security."

Bunny laughed, "Did you lie to that poor man?"

Trunks chuckled back, "Not really! Dad does need a new head of security... he doesn't have a security team."

Bunny laughed at how easily Trunks had apparently out-smarted this Oxford fellow, "How did you find it?"

"They emit a frequency, I was able to detect it in the lab once I had two of the spheres," he handed the spheres to her and pulled out a circular device with a green screen that had a grid along the surface. "Once I isolated the frequency I realized I could track them! I call it "Dragon Radar"." He activated the device and showed it to Bunny, who saw the three balls flashing on the screen in close proximity. Bunny gasped in wonder, and Trunks continued, "That's how I found the four-star sphere! Click the button at the top."

Bunny did as commanded, and the spheres on the screen shrank. She gave Trunks a confused look and he nodded to her to keep clicking. As she zoomed out on the map, the three orbs became one and two other spheres popped up on opposite edges of the map.

"There are more?" Bunny gaped.

"Yes! I've been researching the Dragon Spheres and apparently, there are seven! Each one emits a slightly different wavelength," he clicked another button to zoom back in and Bunny noticed each sphere had a corresponding number. "I haven't been able to find anything beyond ancient legends, but they say that when you collect them all, you can summon a wish-granting dragon!"

Bunny laughed, "You can't be serious!"

Trunks was crestfallen, thinking Bunny was mocking him. "I am completely serious! I'm going to find the rest of them," he replied, more sternly than he meant to.

Bunny realized her unintentional insult and took Trunks' hand in her own, "WE."

Trunks looked up at Bunny in surprise, "We?"

Bunny smiled fondly, "Of course. This is our project. We're in this together. I can't just let you go gallivanting off across the globe looking for Dragon Spheres without me!" Her heart thudded wildly in her chest as Trunks beamed at her.

 ...

The next night, Trunks heard a pinging at his window of a stone hitting the glass. He scrambled for his glasses and noted the time, 12:45 am! What on Earth? He went to the window and opened it to see Bunny standing there in the moonlight, waving for him. He threw on his robe and jumped into his slippers as he made his way outside.

"What are you doing? It's almost 1 in the morning!" Trunks whispered.

"And yet this place is lit up like Times Square! How can you sleep with all these lights on? Nevermind! Go pack some clothes, we're going to retrieve those Dragon Spheres!" Bunny announced, excitedly. "I'll meet you back here in 15 minutes."

"But we have school tomorrow!" Trunks sputtered.

Bunny laughed, "It's Friday, no one's going to miss us. That gives us 3 days to find them and make it back before school on Monday."

"Bunny, we can't just take off in the middle of the night on an adventure!" Trunks exclaimed.

"Why not? I borrowed my dad's heli-jet, it's parked about a half mile out in a clearing in the woods. We can do this! Don't you want to explain the mystery of the Dragon Spheres? Don't you want answers?" She asked, a gleam of excitement shining brightly in her eyes.

Trunks considered the plan and darted back into the house as Bunny grinned at his retreating form. She was surprised when he returned 10 minutes later, dressed and carrying only a small backpack.

"Are you sure you have everything you need?" She questioned.

Trunks opened his bag to show a collection of 5 metallic capsules with buttons on the top. "Capsules," he explained. "Everything I could possibly need safely tucked away."

The pair took off into the night, ready for their adventure. The next two spheres were easily acquired. They followed the radar to the desert 50 miles west of South City a few hours' flight from Capsule Corp, deciding to camp out until daybreak. Bunny was exhausted as she tried to pull her camping gear from the storage compartment underneath the heli-jet, eventually collapsing in frustration. She raised her weary head at the warm pressure of Trunks' hand on her shoulder, whose hand slid down her arm to help pull her to her feet. He led her a small ways away from the heli-jet before pulling out a capsule, clicking the button, and tossing it to the ground. With a booming pop, a small round house appeared.

"Standard Capsule Corp Capsule house," Trunks explained. 

They entered the house and Bunny toured the small home quickly. Her face flushed a bright red as she exclaimed, "There's only one bedroom!"

"I can sleep on the sofa, it pulls out to a bed," Trunks admitted shyly. "There's a full en-suite bath if you want to shower before bed."

Bunny decided to make use of the magnificent shower, before changing into a t-shirt and flannel lounge pants. She went to the kitchen to get a glass of water to find Trunks already sprawled out on the sofa bed, fast asleep. With a chuckle and a sip of cool water, she decided that morning would come sooner than she realized and made her way to bed. They woke fairly early, packing up the capsule house and found the two-star Dragon Sphere after a 45-minute search. They immediately loaded up the heli-jet and headed for the next sphere, high in the Andes Mountains of South America.

They tracked the six-star sphere to Machu Pichu, arriving late in the afternoon. Trunks decided to set up the capsule house while Bunny began exploring the abandoned ruins. Deciding to split up and cover more ground, Trunks began exploring the ruins to the north while Panchy scouted the ruins to the south. There were fewer structures in the sector Panchy explored, and as the sun loomed close to the horizon she decided to go and find Trunks to call an end to the search for the day. She made her way in the direction she saw Trunks head, calling his name. After twenty minutes of looking for him, Bunny heard scuffling inside an abandoned hut.

"Trunks?" She called.

"Bunny! Don't come in!" Trunks cried.

Never one to heed warnings, Bunny entered the hut anyway, to find Trunks backed into a corner by a large spotted Jaguar that hissed and snarled at them ferociously.

"Trunks!" Bunny cried.

The jaguar crouched, ready to pounce when everything her father taught her clicked intuitively. She reached for the gun strapped to her hip and fired before the large predator could react. The stream of light and fire that came forth startled the large predator, who decided this wasn't the easy meal it had assumed Trunks would be and took off into the fading light of dusk.

"OMIGOSH! Trunks are you ok?" Bunny called as she ran over.

Aside from a few scratches and bruises from his initial tumble after the large cat startled him, Trunks was fine.

"Was that... a flare gun?" Trunks asked.

Bunny laughed and hugged him, before giving him a playful punch to the shoulder to hide her embarrassment, "Yeah, I'm glad you're ok."

"I'm better than ok," Trunks grinned, holding up the six-star Dragon Sphere he had found in the wreckage of the abandoned hut.

Bunny clapped her hands and bounced excitedly, hugging him again. Trunks blushed furiously as he felt her breasts crush against his chest and felt her warm body pressed firmly against his. The blood drained from his face and began pooling deep in his stomach. He pushed Bunny away before she could realize the extent of his 'embarrassment'.

"It's getting dark, we should head back and get some rest. We still have two more spheres to find," Trunks said.

Back in the safety of the capsule house, Bunny made them dinner and the two decided to settle in and watch movies until it was time to go to sleep. They woke the next morning with Bunny sprawled across Trunk's chest on the sofa, and the tv screen full of static since the movie ended. Bunny sighed sleepily into the warm chest under her cheek, before she understood where she was. She laid there a moment, suddenly awake and realizing how right this moment felt, snuggled close with Trunks like it was the natural thing to do. She looked up at his sleeping face and smiled softly to herself, before disentangling from his arms and going to shower and change for the day.

Trunks didn't even wake up until Bunny had already showered, changed, and fried up the biggest stack of pancakes he'd ever seen. As they ate, they checked the dragon radar and discovered the five-star sphere near a tiny island called Herald Cay, off the northeast coast of Australia in the Great Barrier reef. Bunny sent Trunks off to shower and change as she cleaned up breakfast, and the two set off for the next leg of their journey across the Pacific Ocean.

After almost a day of travel, they found the tiny island of Herald Cay, setting down the aircraft and admiring the pristine ocean sprawled out before them.

"Always ready for whatever may come, eh?" Bunny said as Trunks clicked the button on the capsule and full a small watercraft with scuba gear for two appeared on the beach. They followed the radar, finally finding the reef where the sphere was located. While Trunks had chosen to use the wetsuit that came with his scuba gear, Bunny decided that the water was warm enough not to warrant extra protection. Trunks tried not to ogle her hot pink bikini and was thankful when he entered the water and found it cool enough to fend off his pending erection.

"This is one of my father's creations," he said as he helped her strap on her mask. "The cylinders on the side here separate the necessary gasses from the water so we can breathe." He pointed to the cylinders near the bottom of the mask that pointed towards her nose. "The two-way radio is voice activated, all you have to do is speak."

They decided to stick together, instead of splitting up, after the fiasco at Machu Picchu. Trunks followed the radar, while Bunny kept getting distracted by pretty fish.

"Don't touch that one, it's poisonous!" Trunks warned over the radio.

After an hour of narrowing down the location, Bunny caught a gleam of amber in a dark hole near the base of some colorful coral.

"I found it!" Bunny cried, as she reached her hand into the hole. She shrieked in terror, snatching her hand back as an enormous eel came slithering out, it's mouth large enough to swallow her fist and take off her arm up to her elbow. She heard Trunks sigh and as she turned her head to give him a chastizing gaze, he pulled out a small cylinder about the width of his hand. He clicked the bottom of it and it shot out into a 6-foot barbed spear. Her chastizing gaze morphed into a gleam of revenge. "Give it here, I owe this asshole."

Trunks chuckled, passing off the spear and pulling the 11" hunting blade from the sheath strapped to his thigh and strapping the velcro cuff to his wrist, in case he dropped the knife it wouldn't be lost to the ocean floor. She waited to spot the eel again, but after 10 minutes of patience, she decided he needed some baiting. 

"Trunks, pretend like you're going to go for the sphere, I'll get him when he sticks his head out," she said while maneuvering into position.

Trunks took his position, arm outstretched with his blade at the ready, and quick as a shot the eel tried to strike... and so did Bunny.

Unfortunately, both the eel and Bunny missed their targets.

The eel failed in its attempt on Trunks, but Bunny failed to hit the eel in the side of the head, spearing the eel through its neck 3 inches behind the base of its skull. The leviathan began to thrash and bleed, Bunny held fast with both hands and wrapped her legs around the length of the spear to stabilize it. As quickly as the eel struck, Bunny saw an equally quick flash of bright steel as Trunks deftly beheaded the beast. As the still snapping jaws sank to the reef's floor, Trunks released the blade and went to Bunny who held the spear with the still wriggling eel corpse attached. He grabbed the end of the spear and pressed the button on the bottom, retracting it into a palm-sized cylinder, causing it to release the eel body to float down and curl lifelessly around the head already resting on the ocean floor. He put the spear into his pocket and turned to Bunny.

"Are you ok? Did it get you?" He asked hurriedly as he checked her for wounds.

She laughed, "I'm fine. I'm fine. Let's get what we came for." She reached in the hole to grab the now glowing sphere, but couldn't quite get to it. "I can't reach it!" She grunted in frustration.

Trunks smiled, reaching in and with his much longer arms, was able to pull out the gleaming five-star Dragon Sphere. Their rejoicing was cut short as they started to notice a change in the reef. Suddenly they were seeing larger and larger predatory fish drawn to the gore they released into the water. Trunks tucked the sphere into one of his numerous pockets and grabbed Bunny's hand, heading back for the boat at top speed.

They were a dozen yards from the boat when Bunny shrieked, "Shark!"

Trunks let go of Bunny, "Get to the boat! NOW!" He pulled out his spear and clicked the button to engage it.

"I won't leave you!" Bunny cried.

It was too late to argue, the Oceanic White Tip shark was still excessively aggressive after the eel-stoked feeding frenzy and charged them. As it got within range, Trunks struck with a downward strike that gouged the shark from its eye to its pectoral fin, causing a gash across its gills that bled profusely. The shark whirled to retreat and Trunks narrowly ducked out of the way of the tail as it turned, but a grunt from Bunny had Trunks spinning to find her floating lifelessly in the water.

With his heart thudding madly in his chest, Trunks abandoned the spear completely and kicking as quickly as his legs would pump, and made it to the boat, hauling an inanimate Bunny up with him. He pulled their masks off and checked the bruise that was already starting to form on her forehead. She still hadn't opened her eyes, but her heart was beating and she was breathing... and after everything that had just happened Trunks let himself go.

Bunny felt warm arms around her as she returned to reality, her head was killing her. As her vision cleared she saw a head of purple hair and hazily reached out to caress it. Trunks' head shot up and Bunny gasped at the halo of lavender around his head as the mid-day sun shone behind him. The stunned look on his face, his dark eyes rimmed with red as a reminder of recently shed tears. She gently lifted her hand and caressed his cheek, wiping the last of his tears.

Overwhelmed at her regaining consciousness, Trunks leaned in and kissed her with everything he felt... and felt her kiss back, too. So much emotion was tied up at that moment, until a rogue wave rocked the boat just right and they bumped foreheads, causing Bunny to gasp in pain.

Startled, Trunks jumped up and helped her into the passenger seat, strapping her in. "We should head back and get some rest before we go searching for the last dragon sphere," he suggested, desperate to avoid a conversation about the kiss that still left his a bit breathless, not waiting for a reply as he made haste for the tiny island with the capsule house and it's med-kid.

While Bunny showered, Trunks made their dinner and offered her an ice pack to help with her head. He worried about a concussion but thought it would be too forward to suggest he be able to sleep nearby in case something happened. He pulled out the sofa-bed and laid down, tossing and turning, while Bunny retreated to the bedroom.

Bunny struggled to find sleep as well. Her mind reenacted the attacks of the day over and over. In one she lost her arm to the eel, in another it was Trunks. In yet another, the shark tore Trunks to pieces in front of her and she woke to a wide-eyed Trunks hovering over her. She let out a gasp as she wrapped her arms around him, proving to herself that he was real and undamaged.

"You were screaming... Was it a nightmare?" Trunks asked softly, running his hands up and down her back soothingly. Panchy could only nod in affirmation as she choked back sobs. Trunks made soft shushing noises as he stroked her back with warm open palms. He soothingly whispered over and over, "You're ok, you're safe," until her sobs abated. He rested his cheek on the top of her head and sighed, inhaling her scent... like strawberries and mint, holding her until he felt her body relax and her breathing settle.

"I should let you get some more sleep," Trunks whispered into her hair.

Panchy held tighter and whispered, "Please don't go..."

Trunks froze, unable to react.

Panchy turned her tear-streaked face to his, "Stay with me."

Trunks brushed the stray blonde curls from her face and gently pressed his forehead to hers before laying her down and curling up behind her. She snuggled her back up to his chest and sighed in comfort as she laid her head on his bicep and laced her fingers with his as his other arm wrapped around her waist. There was something comforting about Trunks, when she was with him she felt invincible- she could take on the world. She couldn't explain it... he just felt... right. Like finding the missing piece of a puzzle, but the puzzle was her heart... her soul? She started to nod off to sleep and as she arched her back to stretch once more, she noticed a certain part of Trunks' anatomy spring to life.

Trunks couldn't help himself, the smell of her hair and the warmth of her body... personal feelings aside, he couldn't fight biology. Panchy rolled onto her back and tucked a stray lock of lavender hair behind his ear.

"Trunks, I like you a lot," Panchy began, "But I'm not that kind of girl."

Trunks turned beet red and started yammering, "I wasn't... I couldn't help... It just.."

Panchy smiled softly at him and leaned in to give him a chaste kiss before rolling back over when Trunks stopped her.

"Panchy," he waited for her eyes to meet his. "I love you. I've loved you since the moment I met you."

Panchy gasped, remembering their first meeting all those years ago, where he'd offered her half his graham cracker at the picnic table of the playground during recess.

I guess it's now or never, Trunks thought to himself as he pulled her close and kissed her with everything he had. His tongue licked her bottom lip and he gently suckled on it as his fingers wove through her hair. He pulled back, both of them panting breathlessly as their foreheads pressed together.

"I've waited ten years for you," he looked deep into her blue eyes. "I would wait for ten more."

Panchy was left breathless from both his kiss and the confession. She was satisfied, something deep inside her told her she could trust him, he wasn't just giving her lip service. A warm sense of home flooded over her as she settled into Trunks' arms. Luckily, they both managed to ignore his erection and finally get a full night's rest.

In the morning Panchy showered first and went down to make breakfast. Trunks took care of himself, shaving off the awkward stubble that started to pop up since he'd last been home.

He was drying his hair with a towel as Panchy finished the eggs to go with their sausages. He glanced at the clock on the wall, 9 am local time, and sighed "Is it Sunday or Monday?"

Panchy chuckled, "If we left right this second, we wouldn't be back for lunch on Tuesday."

Trunks sighed as he tucked into his meal, "We only have one dragon sphere left to find, do we turn back now?"

Panchy sat down with her own plate, "oh HELL no! We didn't come this far to give up when we're so close! Where is the next one, anyway?"

Trunks reached over to where the Dragon Radar was charging nearby, disconnecting it after realizing it was fully charged. He took a bite of eggs as he turned it on and zoomed out until he found the last remaining Dragon Sphere.

He choked and dropped his fork.

"No way," he whispered.

Panchy rolled her eyes, "Come on! Where is it?"

Trunks coughed as he showed her the display, "In the center of a volcano in Antarctica- Mount Sidley."


	2. Prologue: Part II

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So, I decided to cut this one too because it was already at 9700 words.  
> Chopped it off at 6700 and moved the rest to the next chapter.  
> Enjoy!

"You will refuel that aircraft and you will return home IMMEDIATELY, is that CLEAR?" Brigadier General Cory N. Smith shouted.

"I most certainly will NOT!" Panchy retorted to the video screen, raising her fists to her hips defiantly.

"You have already missed 4 days of school and have been gone a week!" her father shot back.

"I'm working on a project for school!" Panchy insisted.

"Gallivanting off around the globe partying in foreign countries with some HOOLIGAN," Panchy's father gesticulated towards Trunks, "is a far cry from studying!"

"We were not 'gallivanting', and Trunks is not a hooligan! We were doing actual research! You're always telling me how childish and immature I'm being, how I never follow through on things that I start, but when I try to actually do something..."

"Like stealing an aircraft from a military base?!? What were you thi-"

"I couldn't very well 'assist an ally without contributing my own resources towards the expedition'!" she said mockingly.

Brig Gen Smith's nostrils flared, accentuating his elegant Roman nose, and his face began to flush a deep crimson as his barely contained anger tried to bubble to the surface.

"They were not your resources to commandeer!" He shot back.

"I didn't use force! You were snoring away like a lumberjack and all but threw them at me when I asked!" She growled back

The soldiers in the communication center of Byrd Station, an American outpost in Antarctica, struggled to keep their chuckling to themselves... a few failed.

Brig Gen Smith's face turned a deep fuschia that went beyond his hairline, causing his hair to take on a pinkish hue, which caused even more soldiers to fail at containing their chuckles.

"RUTH!" He screamed.

Panchy saw the familiar dark auburn hue of her mother's curly hair enter the periphery of the screen and sighed in relief, finally! Someone to talk some sense into her father! Surely a psychology professor with 3 doctorates and 15 degrees would be able to talk some sense into the man.

"Yes, honey?" Ruth replied sweetly.

"Talk some sense into this child and tell her she is most certainly NOT trekking across Antarctica to find a mystical orb in a volcano!" he said, throwing up his arms in the air as he moved out of sight.

Ruth looked suspiciously at her husband and glanced just as warily towards her daughter, "First, you soldier-boys. Get out. This is a private discussion between a mother and daughter, not a national security risk. So, in the words of my beloved husband, kindly fuck off."

Panchy could hear her father chuckling as the soldiers audibly filed out of the room, and saw her mother turn away from the screen to where her father stood, "You. Out. NOW."

Panchy heard the familiar groan as the door opened and slammed closed.

Trunks numbly watched the exchange, wanting to do nothing more than hide from the whole thing. He tried to slip out behind the soldiers when Ruth noticed him.

"You, purple haired boy," she called to Trunks. 

He paused, turning back to the screen and pointing to himself without making a sound.

"Yes you," she said with an air of authority. "Sit," she looked at Panchy, "You, too."

As they both settled in front of the massive screen, Ruth carefully read their body language before deciding to hear the tale her daughter had to spin.

"Panchy, what's going on?" Her mother asked calmly, settling down into the desk chair before the video screen. With that, Panchy gave her mother the entire story. Going to the museum, the project they were working on, finding all the dragon spheres so far, and the trip to Byrd Station. Ruth listened patiently as she watched Panchy and Trunks, knowing where details were being elaborated on and which were being skimmed over. Panchy even told her about the dragon and the wishes and promised anything just to be able to finish their quest, see it through to the end.

Ruth turned her piercing gaze to Trunks, "And you, boy. What are your intentions towards my daughter?"

Trunks stumbled over his words, "Nothing! We haven't! I swear! I... I..." He looked back at the piercing gaze from the screen and found himself unable to confess, it was hard enough telling Panchy how he felt, but her mother? "We're friends, classmates, and we're just working on a project for school!"

Ruth knew something was up by the way he looked away and wrung his hands, but also from the hurt look Panchy had before she too looked away.

Ruth sighed, her little girl wasn't a little girl anymore. She was almost an adult, she'd be able to vote in the next election. Instinct told her to scream at the pair and have the soldiers ship them home immediately, but her educated-self knew that would only hinder her daughter in the long run. She needed to see the world for what it is and learn to make her own sense of it. Her little girl wasn't so little anymore. "Ok, so here's how this is going to go down. You," Ruth pointed to Trunks," are going to guard my daughter with your LIFE, do you understand me?" She glared at Trunks sternly and caught Ranchy's hurt look turn to shock. "The two of you have 7 days, got that? That's not 7 days and THEN head back, that means I want you both front and center in seven days to discuss this rash decision of yours. You will spend the next twelve hours preparing for this journey, and you will have all the necessary equipment needed at your disposal." She turned her ire to Trunks, "If anything happens to her, you are to use these dragon balls"

"Spheres, ma'am," Trunks interjected.

"WHATEVER! You will use them to bring my daughter home safe and sound." She turned to her daughter, "And vice versa if anything happens to him. You want to be a grown-up, here's your chance. I love you, honey, but if you're not home in 167 hours and 45 minutes, you will be grounded until you graduate. FROM COLLEGE."

The video call ended and the two teenagers sat in silence.

"So I guess we spend the next 12 hours resting up and preparing for the trek to Mt. Sidley?" Trunks asked tentatively.

Panchy glared at him, "You can do whatever, since I guess I'm just 'nothing', huh?"

Trunks gaped at Panchy like a fish out of water, "I didn't mean it like that!"

"Sure you didn't. Or was it what you said last night that you were lying about? Which is it, because you can't have both." Panchy stormed off before Trunks could reply, headed for her bunk for a hot shower and a change of clothes. She tried to get some rest, but couldn't seem to fall asleep. She had really thought Trunks was different, she really believed him last night! And then he tells her mother that she means nothing to him? They aren't even 'friends', just 'classmates'? She needed some serious stress relief and headed to the kitchens to bake herself out of her depression.

Trunks retreated to his own bunk and gathered all his things in preparation for their trek, totally at a loss as to what to do about Panchy. He sorted through his capsules, rearranging things so he would have an empty capsule to store large items like vehicles, and taking stock of their remaining food stores. He went to the kitchens to get more food to last them for the remaining 7 days they had and found Panchy violently kneading dough. He stood there for a minute until she finally growled out an acknowledgment of his presence.

"What?!?" 

"I was going to go through our food capsule, but you can have it if you want it?" Trunks said in a meek voice.

"Just leave it on the table, I'll get to it in a minute," she grumbled to him.

Trunks quietly placed the capsule on the table and left, sensing that she didn't want him around.

Panchy turned to talk to him when she noticed he wasn't even there anymore, and her eye watered with tears. He didn't even bother trying to talk to her! She took her aggression out on the dough she was kneading and decided to shut out the world and focus on making delicious food.

Trunks made his way to the garage where the heli-jet was, and after some serious convincing, was able to talk the soldiers into letting him "borrow" their oldest snow-cat, with the promise that Capsule Corp will donate 3 top of the line snow-cats to their base. With his largest capsule, he stored the snow-cat, and decided to do some maintenance on the heli-jet and maybe make some upgrades. He had no idea what to do about Panchy, he knew if he didn't do something that he'd never get a chance to prove himself again. He had a great idea on an upgrade to the heli-jet and got to work hoping that his apology would be as epic as he was hoping for. 

Twelve hours later, it was just as bright as it was before, being summer at the south pole. Panchy had baked until she was ready to pass out, and woken up to head straight back to the kitchens to make breakfast for everyone. During the idle moments when the food didn't need her direct attention, she began loading the hot and cold storage components of the food-storage capsule Trunks had given her. The small contingent of soldiers at Byrd station were overjoyed at having a home cooked meal that none of them had to make, but the jovial spirit of the mess hall got tense and silent when Trunks arrived. Panchy ate in stoic silence, as Trunks helped himself to some of the scrambled eggs Panchy had made.

He groaned in delight, "Mmm, Panchy this is delicious!"

Panchy scoffed in return, saying nothing. Trunks had hoped that maybe she would have magically forgiven him overnight but was sadly mistaken.

The station's captain decided to break the silence as she noticed the tension between the two teenagers, and began to inform them of their trip, "It's about 200 miles away, the open edge of Mt. Sidley's caldera faces the station," she said, pointing to its location on the map spread across the table. "So you won't have to go around the mountain to get there. Your heli-jet can easily reach speeds over 300 mph, but weather down here can be tricky and kick up a full-blown blizzard in minutes. It shouldn't take you more than a couple of hours to reach your destination. Brig Gen Smith contacted us this morning and gave orders for you to check in once you arrived at Mt. Sidley, and again before you depart. Who's going to be flying?"

"I will," Panchy and Trunks replied simultaneously.

Panchy glared at Trunks, it was HER heli-jet! She'd flown every mile so far, why did he suddenly feel the patronizing need to be in charge?

"I made some modifications, I want to test them to make sure they work," Trunks explained.

Panchy stood up and began clearing her plate.

"Brigadier General Smith also ordered you to report in at the station immediately if there are any problems," the captain said.

"Of course he did," Panchy scoffed.

The captain was pretty much done with sullen teenagers, "Ok, let's just get you two out on the ice. The sooner you go, the sooner you can get back, and the sooner I stop having a Brigadier General breathing down my neck!"

They made their way down to the hangar and loaded the heli-jet. The skies were clear, no sign of a storm in sight, and after a brief double check they took off.

Panchy and Trunks flew in tense silence for about 10 minutes before Trunks decided to break it, "I fixed a few things with the heli-jet," he offered in hopes of a conversation starter.

Panchy grunted in response, as Trunks turned on the auto-pilot, which was previously inoperative. They could use the autopilot until it was time to land, which freed up his concentration to have a conversation about the previous day. Panchy seemed to realize this and felt more emotions swirl in her head: anger, resentment, sadness, and a bit of being forlorn.

Trunks sensed her shift in mood and decided to make a go of it and try to fix things between them.

"I did some other modifications yesterday," Trunks offered.

"Oh really?" Panchy scoffed, "And what kind of improvements did the genius Dr. Briefs develop?"

Trunks could hear her sarcasm and disdain dripping from each word, and put faith in his plan, flipping a previously inactive switch, before swiveling in his chair and standing up.

Panchy gasped as the acoustic guitar kicked in over the heli-jet's internal communications speaker. He'd fixed the comm systems, and added a radio element? Impossible! There was no way he could get radio signals this far south!

She watched as Trunks smiled at her and clapped his hands along to the beat when the drums kicked in and Panchy remembered the sound of one of her favorite songs.

She tried to hide a smile as Trunks masterfully hopped into a cha-cha dance as the lyrics kicked in.

_Shake, shake, shake, senora, shake your body line_  
_Shake, shake, shake, senora, shake it all the time_  
_Work, work, work, senora, work your body line_  
_Work, work, work, senora, work it all the time_

She smirked as Trunks lip-synched along to the lyrics, clapping his hands to the beat.

_My girl's name is Senora_  
_I tell you,_ friends _, I adore her_  
_And when she dances, oh brother_  
_She's a hurry-cane in all kinds of weather_

She smiled and laughed, all tension leaving the air. How could she stay mad at him like this? How could ANYONE stay angry with Harry Belafonte singing "[Jump in the line](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VAC2WRbOgFY&list=RDVAC2WRbOgFY&start_radio=1)"? Trunks continued with his entertainment, really letting himself get into it.

_You can talk about cha cha_  
_Tango, waltz, or de rumba_  
_Senora's dance has more title_  
_You jump in the saddle_  
_Hold on to de bridle_

Panchy gaped as Trunks danced skillfully along to the lyrics, switching from a cha-cha into a tango-esque slide, followed up with a rumba box-step. She was sincerely impressed by his dancing skills, and wondered how on Earth he'd become such a skillful dancer! As he danced along to the chorus, she couldn't help but be impressed with the fluid way that his body moved. Her gaze came back up to his eyes...

_Senora, she's a sensation_  
_The reason for aviation_  
_And fellas, you got to watch it_  
_When she wind up, she bottom, she go like a rocket_

She started to feel like he was singing the lyrics just for her, as he reached his hand out to invite her to join him. She smiled and took his hand, and Trunks grinned back at her before leading her in a simple rumba box-step, helping her keep in time to the music. She warmed up as the song continued, and Trunks kicked in with some more advanced steps to go along to the music. He flung her out to a spin and pulled her back in before returning to the simple box-step he was doing. As the lyrics played out, she impressed Trunks with her own dance skills, doing a bit of calypso in time to the music.

_Senora dances Calypso_  
_Left to right is de tempo_  
_And when she gets the sensation_  
_She go up in the air_  
_Come down in slow motion_

They started a two-man conga line inside the heli-jet, oblivious to the fact that they were flying over hundreds of miles of Antarctic glaciers. The song ended suddenly and all that could be heard was their laughter and heavy breathing.

"If my parents were listening in right now, they'd have the wrong idea altogether!" Panchy joked.

"I wouldn't want to give your parents the wrong idea..." Trunks offered quietly.

Panchy scowled, "Of course not." She began to pull away, but Trunks grabbed her hand to stop her and pull her in close as a slower song kicked in.

"Panchy, I'm sorry about what I said to your parents," Trunks said, making direct eye contact in hopes she'd see his honesty there. "I was scared, it was hard enough telling you how I felt... admitting it to your parents... they're kind of..." Trunks struggled for the best word, "...intense." They swayed to the gentle beat and Trunks changed the subject before the lyrics began, "[This is one of my favorite songs](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZIDYqECkhGA)... kind of corny, I know... but it's such a great one..."

_Fly me to the moon_  
_Let me play among the stars_  
_Let me see what spring is like_  
_On_ _Jupiter and Mars_  
_In other words, hold my hand_  
_In other words, baby, kiss me_

Panchy realized what it was about this song that originally attracted him to it, remembering his awe at the planetarium... and how he had looked at her then. He looked at her like that now, and she wasn't sure what to say or do. He seemed so candid... it all seemed genuine, not some rehearsed and practiced scene to get in her pants. As if she would be so foolish to fall for suave dance moves and romantic lyrics! She couldn't deny that she enjoyed the feeling of her body pressed tightly to his. She pulled her face away from his gaze only to have him grab her chin and turn her face to his as the song continued, wanting her to see the truth of how he really felt by the lyrics that played

_Fill my heart with song_  
_And let me sing forever more_  
_You are all I long for_  
_All I worship and adore_  
_In other words, please be true_  
_In other words, I love you_

What Trunks saw in her eyes as the song ended, he took a chance that she accepted his apology and knew he was being honest with her, and leaned in to kiss her softly.

"Panchy," Trunks whispered. "I promise, when we get back we can tell your parents everything."

Panchy smiled and kissed him again, "Well, maybe not everything." She sighed as she leaned in to sway with him gently, her cheek resting on his chest. "Where did you learn to dance like that?"

"My grandmother," Trunks explained. "My mother died during childbirth, and my grandmother has lived with us ever since my grandfather died. Dad built Capsule Corp with his inheritance."

Panchy gasped, "I feel terrible, I never knew! I'm so sorry, Trunks!" She hugged him tightly.

"It's ok, it happened a long time ago," Trunks sighed into her hair.

They were almost knocked off their feet as they hit turbulence and radioed back to Byrd Station as they noticed the weather conditions getting worse the closer they got to Mt. Sidley.

"The storm has you cut off, kid." the base captain said. "You need to seek shelter in one of the caves at Mt. Sidley. Land while you can and make a break for it on the ground."

"Roger, Byrd Station," Trunks replied.

"Trunks, how are we supposed to make it? It's still a good 30 miles to the caldera! We can't do that on foot! Not before the storm hits!" Panchy started to panic.

Trunks decided to make a quick landing, turning off the autopilot, "Well, you're in luck. I traded an old sno-cat for the promise of three more to Byrd Station when I get home and convince my dad. I suppose I could make it a pet project..." Trunks started to ramble.

Panchy could tell that Trunks was rambling as a coping mechanism while he focused on landing the heli-jet. The weather hadn't turned bad enough to make for a rough landing, but by the time Trunks had disencapsulated the sno-cat, warmed it up and got Panchy safely inside, transferred essentials to it before using the same capsule on the heli-jet, the storm had started blowing. They chased the clear skies after setting up their global positioning system and finding the best path to take for Mt. Sidley's caldera.

The mountain loomed on the horizon until the snow and wind kicked up hard enough to make it disappear from view. Eventually, the blizzard began to wail to the point where it was roaring even inside the sno-cat.

"According to the GPS, we're reaching the edge of the caldera, the storm is blowing from the west. I'm going to follow the western ridge of the volcano and use it like a windbreak, we'll look for a place to ride out the storm there!"

They reached the western edge of the rounded volcanic valley, and the wind was broken enough for visibility to improve. They followed the ridge looking for caves, but a rocky outcropping caused them to divert from their course. As Trunks steered them around the rocky outcrop, the wind began to howl and the snow blew to the point of zero visibility. Panchy screamed as the blowing snow intensified and seemed to become a shimmering white wall that they crashed through, only to appear on the edge of a calm spring meadow at the base of Mt. Sidley.

 "What on Earth?!?" Panchy and Trunks exclaimed.

The wind had ceased howling, and from inside the sno-cat, they could see a rolling meadow with yellow and lavender flowers dotting the green field. Trunks unbuckled his safety belt and went to open the door when Panchy went to protest. As the door opened a warm spring breeze filled the inside of the vehicle, prompting Panchy to follow Trunks.

The two stood in the middle of a perfectly circular glade approximately a mile in diameter, the edges of the field bordered by a shimmering white that they were unable to understand. Trunks looked up to see a clear blue sky overhead, and to the north, they saw a valley at the base of the mountain that faded out of view behind the wall of white.

"We can't use the sno-cat here," Trunks explained. "The ground is too soft." He pointed to where the tracks of the vehicle had mired itself deeply in the soft soil of the magical glade. He took out his pack of capsules and they began quickly rearranging the contents to have an empty capsule large enough to store it before making their way up the valley towards the base of the mountain.

At the base of the mountain, they found an unnatural cave entrance with sharp triangular edges and an intricately carved border with unfamiliar symbols that somewhat resembled ancient hieroglyphics.

"Trunks..." Panchy struggled for words. "This... this isn't natural, this is... it's not man-made... these carvings, they're really old. Men didn't make this cave, and neither did the volcano."

Trunks' brow furrowed in concentration, and he pulled out the dragon radar, that blinked furiously as he turned it on. 

He hummed to himself in concentration, "The radar is glitching out. The frequency is... it's... it's like we're inside the dragon sphere!"

"Are you getting any kind of reading?" Panchy asked.

"The signal gets stronger from inside the cave," Trunks replied.

They turned to each other and made their way into the dark, cracking some fluorescent light sticks to light the way. They made their way along the stone floor when Trunks noticed the sound of their steps had changed. Where before their steps were those of boots on mossy stones, they took on the clear, reverberating sound of shoes on polished marble. He leaned down to examine it and saw himself correct, the ground had indeed changed to that of a finely polished cream colored granite. He also noticed that the cave had become a triangular tunnel, and from the sounds of their now echoing steps, it sounded as if the tunnel ended in a chamber.

They reached the end of the tunnel to find that it did end in a strange chamber. There was no exit, save the way they came, only a large triangular crystal platform with a border and similar carvings as those found outside the tunnel. Trunks paced the pyramid-shaped chamber, cracking more and more light sticks until the entire room was lit with an eerie green glow. He was muttering to himself furiously, trying to figure out the situation.

"It almost seems like a puzzle," Trunks said. "These carvings could be instructions, but I have no idea where to start on translating them! I don't have any kind of starting point. None of these symbols even remotely corresponds to any human language ever written!"

"Well, what do we know?" Panchy asked.

"The dragon spheres led us here," Trunks offered, throwing his hands up in exasperation.

"Your dragon radar led us here," Panchy offered.

"Because the frequency said it was here," Trunks replied and his face lit up in realization. "Panchy, you're brilliant! This chamber... it's alien! This is alien technology! That glade back there, it must be related just like all the other dragon spheres are..."

He grabbed their packs and sat them on the dais, and had her sit opposite him as he took out the bag that contained the other 6 spheres. They gaped at each other as the bag glowed with a bright, flashing pulse over and over. One by one the spheres clinked on to the crystal platform, flashing brightly until all 6 sat, flashing uncoordinatedly between them.

"Trunks... What's happening?" Panchy asked nervously.

The spheres suddenly began flashing in unison at a regular interval, "Panchy, I think it's counting down."

"To what?!?" Panchy asked, her blue eyes flashing with fear.

"I don't know," Trunks said with a reassuring smile. "But we'll find out together."

With a final flash, the dais lit up and they both closed their eyes to protect their vision from the bright light.

They opened their eyes at the twitter of songbirds and the sounds of a gentle breeze through a country garden. What they saw was beyond comprehension. They sat on a dais, and surrounding them was the most beautiful and exotic botanical garden either had ever seen. Huge marble columns were wrapped with large vines, clearly not of this earth, their surface a colorful rippling of greens and blues with blossoms and buds of various stages of development. Beyond the columns and vines was the clear blue sky, Trunks looked down at the dragon spheres to notice their flashing had stopped for some reason. He collected them back into their sack and helped Panchy to her feet.

They began exploring the space, Panchy getting a closer look at the plants lining the large columns of the space, even crawling along the ceiling. As she observed the ceiling more closely, she noticed an odd sense of falling, a dizzying and disorienting feeling of being unable to tell up from down. She shook her head and decided to focus on the floor. The flowers were amazing! The buds themselves closely resembled those of Stargazer lilies, the thick veins tapering from a dark blue to magenta at the tip, with gauzy white petals. The full blossoms were amazing to look at, with their shimmering, crystalline petals that had a mother of pearl swirling to the surface but sparkled like an opal in the light. The scent was intoxicating, and for some reason, Panchy wanted to grab a fist full of the blossoms and rub them all over her face. She was about to reach out and do just that when a cream-colored colored cat began rubbing up against her leg, purring.

"Oh! Well, look at you!" Panchy said as she reached down to let the cat sniff her hand. "Aren't you adorable!" She said as the cat turned its head to allow her to scratch him behind the ears.

"Panchy! Come look!" Trunks called from the edge. 

Panchy reached down to pick up the friendly cat when he stretched up her leg and gave her a look she recognized in her own cats at home. He nuzzled the side of her neck and purred as she brought him with her to where Trunks stood.

"Look," he said as she got closer, "A force field. You can't just fall out into the open air," he noted as he touched the shimmering field.

"Of course you can't. That wouldn't be very safe to just have no walls at all," a nasaly sounding voice called.

Panchy and Trunks looked at each other and then around the garden for where the voice had come from.

"Right here, you stupid humans," the voice chuckled.

They looked down at the grinning feline in Panchy's arms, who waved at them and twitched his tail merrily.

Panchy screamed and threw the cat in the air, who started screeching as he clung upside-down from the ceiling.

"How rude!" the voice called at them.

"You... you... You're..." Panchy stammered.

"You're an alien!" Trunks gasped.

"Well, my species certainly didn't evolve on this little mud-ball, obviously," the cat-alien replied, as it nimbly climbed the vines.

"You can talk!" Panchy blurted out, "Wait, how can you talk if your mouth isn't moving?"

"Technically, I can't 'talk'. I can reply to sentient species psychically once I make a physical connection to one of them," the cat said. "My name is Korin."

"Um... Hello Korin," Trunks said.

"You can read minds?" Panchy asked.

Korin rolled his eyes as he landed back on the ground, "She's kind of dumb, isn't she?" He said, looking at Trunks.

"Hey!" Panchy said, her brow furrowing at the insult. Trunks chuckled, and Panchy turned to glare at him.

"Korin, where are we?" Trunks asked, finally brought out of his amazed stupor to ask questions.

"I assume that the dragon balls led you here," Korin said as he began tending to the plants in the garden idly.

"You mean 'spheres'," Trunks corrected, only to stand there shocked as Korin rolled on the floor in silent laughter.

"No, stupid human, BALLS," Korin corrected. "The correct translation from ancient Namekian is BALL, not SPHERE. Goodness, 'sphere' translates into an ancient Namekian slang for gonads!"

Trunks and Panchy blushed in the realization of their poor translation.

Korin snatched up a few blossoms and sniffed them carefully, "I can only assume you're not here to discuss the reproductive organs of Namekians." He crumpled the blossoms and began rubbing them on his face. "This is my tower, Korin's Tower- obviously," the cat replied sarcastically. "Kami built it for me when he brought me with him to Earth."

"Kami?" They asked.

"Don't you foolish humans know anything?" Korin sighed as he took the remaining blossoms and placed them close to the base of the vines near the soil. "Kami, the Guardian of the Earth. Protector for 10,000 years! How else could a species as stupid as yours survive this long without 'divine' intervention."

"I thought you were adorable, but now I kind of think you're an asshole!" Panchy said.

"Panchy, he's an alien. We can't hold him to the same cultural standards as humans," Trunks offered.

Korin gave a feline grin, "I still think you smell pretty!" Panchy flushed a deep crimson as Korin turned to Trunks, "Like strawberries and mint, right?"

Suddenly Trunks blushed and wondered if the alien really could read minds.

Redirecting the conversation, Trunks reviewed. "So, the dragon radar tracked the final dragon ball here to Korin's Tower. Why?"

"Because Kami has the final dragon ball," Korin replied.

"And why does Kami have it?" Panchy asked.

"Because he MADE them," Korin laughed silently.

"So how do we get to Kami?" Trunks asked.

Korin laugh again, "You still haven't figured any of this out, have you?"

Trunks scowled at the alien, his patience at being called stupid so many times having completely worn out, "I've figured out the frequencies of the different dragon balls and how to track them. Together we gathered them all, and made it to the most remote volcano on the planet." Sparks of realization flared in Trunks eyes, "The 6 dragon balls together caused a harmonic bubble around us that allowed us to enter the meadow. It wasn't magic, it's science. It's a magnetic resonance field that causes this place to not really exist, like a pocket dimension, that's why there are no pictures of this place on the satellite maps. They were the key to working the teleportation dais at the base of the mountain, so they're obviously the key to getting to Kami, but it can't be that easy, am I right?"

Korin smiled at Trunks, "Maybe there's hope for you monkeys after all."

"We're apes, not monkeys," Panchy interjected, showing him her backside. "Apes don't have tails."

Korin rolled his eyes, "And just as quickly that hope fades."

Trunks sighed, "How do I get to Kami?"

"I have to let you pass," Korin said with sudden seriousness.

"And what must we do to let us pass?" Trunks asked.

"Prove you're worthy," Korin replied, making himself comfortable in the vines.

"And how can we do that? Who are you to judge us?" Panchy asked defiantly.

"I have been on this planet since before your species learned how to create fire," Korin said with an air of haughtiness. "I am most certainly capable of judging you."

The conversation lulled into an awkward silence, that Trunks decided to break. "Would it help to know what we would wish for?"

"Well, that's a start," Korin replied. "You, female, what would you wish for."

Panchy felt singled out, and a bit insulted at being referred to as simply 'female', "My name is Panchy, thank you very much!" She hadn't even thought about what she'd wish for and blurted out the first thing she thought of, "I'd wish for a boyfriend, one who is kind and smart and gentle... but strong."

Korin almost rolled out of the vines laughing so hard, and Panchy blushed in indignation.

"You want to summon the all-powerful dragon, Shenron, so you can have a boyfriend?" Korin asked. Panchy felt humiliated and refused to answer. "What about this male? He's certainly smart! I can only assume you've gotten this far mostly on his brain alone. He's obviously kind and gentle, no matter how much of an 'asshole' I've been he hasn't been as mean as you have!"

Panchy felt appropriately mollified, she turned to Trunks and saw him in a new light.

"And he has strength. It's not the kind of physical strength most primates look for in a mate, but if you want your species to evolve, you're going to have to use more than just the 10% of your brain that you've been using so far," Korin expounded. "I cannot deem that wish worthy. Summoning the all-mighty Shenron to give you that which you already possess, even in ignorance, is selfish."

Panchy frowned sadly at the honesty of Korin's explanation. She felt stupid and childish and she suddenly thought of her father and all the times he'd admonished her for such behavior.

"You're right Korin, my wish was selfish," Panchy replied.

Korin smiled at her, "But you still smell nice."

Panchy chuckled, "Why do you keep saying that?"

Korin smiled, "On my world, it was a phrase of comfort... the human equivalent of 'You look nice'." He turned to Trunks, "Male, what is your wish?"

"His name is Trunks," Panchy said gently, realizing she hadn't given Korin much reason not to be an asshole to her.

Panchy and Korin watched Trunks expectantly as he carefully considered what would be worth asking the dragon for, and after a few minutes he announced it, "I would ask the dragon to make me the smartest man on the planet, so I can make the world a better place."

Korin looked deeply into Trunk's eyes, and contemplated him quietly and carefully considering his words, "You are worthy."

"Really?" Trunks asked.

Korin glared at him sternly, "Are you lying to me?"

"No!" Trunks blurted out.

"Well, then. If that is your sincere wish, I deem it worthy of being brought to Kami," Korin said as he led them back to the dais. "Now, before I allow you to see Kami, I have one last question: If Kami refuses your request, what will you do?"

Panchy looked at Trunks, neither of them had thought that far ahead. She nodded to him in acknowledgment, it was his wish so it was his job to answer.

"We will leave peacefully and forget about the 7th dragon ball. We will lock away all the dragon balls so that no one can use them to evil things," Trunks answered.

Korin smiled at the pair, a hopeful glint in his eyes, "You are worthy." He directed the pair back to the dais and placed the 6 balls in a circle around them. "Now repeat this phrase: <Take me to Kami>"

Trunks and Panchy looked at each other and then back to Korin, "<Tickle me funny>"

Korin laughed, "No, silly humans, <Take me to Kami>. Your pronunciation of ancient Namekian is horrible. Come back when you're ready to be tutored," he said gruffly.

Panchy smiled at the cream-colored alien cat, "You smell pretty, too, Korin."

He smiled fondly at the pair as they correctly repeated, "<Take me to Kami>", and disappeared in a flash of light.

...

As the flash of light evaporated, Panch and Trunks found themselves on a large circular platform roughly the same size as the meadow in the valley far below. As far as they could see along the horizon were puffy white clouds floating peacefully past the carefully manicured and tended trees. A rotund, dark-skinned alien with pointed ears and a turban emerged from the domed building at the far end of the platform, meeting them at the triangular dais with a strange smile.

"You must be Trunks and Panchy," the alien said in a soothing and gentle voice.

"Korin sent us," Trunks said. "We have the other 6 dragon balls and have a wish we would like to make," he said as politely as he could.

"Well, I don't know what Korin was talking about, you two seem like perfectly polite humans to me!" the alien replied. "I am called Mr. Popo. I am the guardian of Earth's companion. I help to tend to his lookout and keep an eye on the inhabitants of Earth. Follow me," Mr. Popo said.

"How did Korin tell you we were coming?" Panchy asked.

"He has a telepathic link with Kami, we both do," Mr. Popo explained as he led them into the domed structure and led them to the chambers below. "This is the secondary observation deck," Mr. Popo acknowledged as they came to the first landing of the staircase. 

"Where are we going?" Trunks asked.

"You came to see Kami, yes?" Mr. Popo asked as he led them deeper into the lower levels of the structure. They reached the bottom of the staircase, arriving at a hall with numerous identical doors. "These are the visitor's chambers," he noted as they progressed down the hall.

"You get many visitors?" Panchy asked.

"No," Mr. Popo announced sadly. "Not as many as we used to."

They continued down the hall to find a spiral staircase leading deeper, and Mr. Popo turned to them, "From here you go alone. Down the stairs, you will find Kami."

Trunks and Panchy looked at each other and held hands as they descended into the darkness below.

 


	3. Prologue: Part III

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prologue conclusion.  
> I dunno, maybe I should've left it as 1 chapter?  
> *shrug* whatever. LOL

They stepped carefully, arriving in the darkness at the landing and looking about for any source of light. It was so silent that Panchy could hear the blood rushing in her ears, and Trunks could hear his heart thudding in his chest.

Suddenly, a booming voice called out, "Who are you to enter the private sanctum of Kami, the Guardian of the Earth?"

Panchy's hand shot out and clamped down on Trunks' in fear. He gave it a comforting squeeze back before replying to the voice, "I am Trunks Briefs, and this is Panchy Smith. We have traveled far and wide, collecting the dragon balls. Our journey brought us here, and we humbly ask for the final dragon ball so we can summon the all-powerful dragon, Shenron, and make a wish."

There was suddenly a loud rumbling noise of stone grinding on stone when a column of light opened in the center of the room revealing a large stone throne. A large wooden staff rested on the armrest, and sitting upon the throne was a man... but he wasn't a man.

The being sitting on the throne was dressed in sleeveless, white robes with a symbol on it neither Trunks nor Panchy had ever seen. Over that, he wore a dark blue cloak that bunched around his neck and shoulders and covered his head like a hood. He was obviously not human. His clawed hands were a dark emerald green, and the muscles of his arms were covered with scaly plates the color of human flesh. He reached up to pull the hood back, revealing a gaunt and ancient face. His ears were enormous, large and pointed at the ends, framing his large bald head. What astonished the teenagers most wasn't the green color of his skin, but the wrinkles of age that crept up his cranium, past two fleshy antennae, all the way to the back of his skull.

Clearly, this being had lived for thousands of years.

The sound of stone grinding against stone came again, and ambient light filtered into the room to the point where Trunks and Panchy were visible.

The Guardian of the Earth spoke, "State your wish, and I will decide if you are worthy."

While Trunks paused to carefully consider his words, Panchy jumped right in.

"I was going to wish for a boyfriend, but Korin explained how selfish it was to use someone as powerful as Shenron to get that which I already have," she gave Trunks' hand a squeeze and smiled at him.

He squeezed back, having formulated his response, "So Panchy let me tell Korin my wish. I want to be the smartest man on Earth, so I can use my brain to make the world a better place."

Kami considered them carefully, before passing his judgment.

"I am Kami, guardian of the Earth for 10,000 years. I have watched humanity go from fire to electricity," Kami watched Trunks and Panchy for their reactions to his words. "I have watched the lives of countless humans, as I have watched both of your lives." Kami gestured to Panchy, "Korin was correct, your wish is not worthy. Even your own parents have voiced their concern at your selfish and childish ways. The company you keep proves that you are shallow and vapid."

Panchy stood there in silence, biting the inside of her lip as tears welled up in her eyes. Being scolded by the Guardian of the Earth was almost as bad as being lectured by her father. She couldn't bring herself to defense over her behavior.

"That's not true, and that's not fair!" Trunks interjected. "Panchy is not shallow and vapid! She's smart and has interesting ideas! She might be selfish and childish at times, but we're kids for crying out loud! You're at least 10,000 years old and we're only 17! We're trying to go out in the world and learn, so that's got to count for something!"

Kami turned his piercing gaze to Trunks, who stood proudly even as he tried not to tremble. Kami rose to his feet, towering a foot taller than Trunks, who did his best not to show how intimidated he felt.

"And you!" Kami began, stepping forward towards Trunks. "You're emotionless and cruel. You deny the return of affection from those who would be closest to you, without consideration for their feelings! You treat other people the way you treat your robots, simply there to suit your purposes."

Panchy stepped up next to Trunks and grabbed his hand, "That's not true either! Trunks isn't 'emotionless', sometimes he's overwhelmed with all the emotions he feels!" Panchy gave him a comforting smile as she squeezed his hand in hers. "He cares about his father and he's proud of all the things his father has done in his life! He told me about his mother who gave her life for his. He told me about his grandmother and how she helped to take care of him. They weren't just robots to suit a purpose to him."

Trunks smiled at Panchy and turned back to face Kami's judgment.

"Stand forward and receive your judgment," Kami stated.

The two stepped forward as Kami held his arms up and the bulbous antennae on his head began to glow with a soft green light. They felt an odd sensation, almost a whisper of a sound and a caress like a gentle spring breeze as their eyes slipped closed. Kami brushed his consciousness with them both simultaneously, combining the three into one... sharing the thoughts and feelings with the others. Panchy suddenly felt all the feelings that Trunks had for her, her nostrils instantly filled with strawberries and fresh mint. Trunks felt his heart flutter like Panchy's did when she remembered every time he kissed her. Kami felt both of their emotions as if they were his own, seeing their true souls and allowing them to see a tiny bit of his own. Somehow, Panchy and Trunks knew that the sudden feeling of patriarchal affection and concern came from the 10,000 year Guardian of Earth who loved every being on it as if it were his own offspring. Panchy gasped at the sensation as both her and Trunks stumbled back from the psychic connection.

Kami gave them a few moments to compose themselves before apologizing, "I'm sorry about that. I had to be sure that you were both being sincere. You had no way of knowing that my judgment consisted of a psychic attack."

"It didn't hurt," Panchy said, trying to shake the dizzying feeling from her head.

"It was just..." Trunks began, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Overwhelming," they said in unison.

Kami chuckled, "Yeah, that's a side effect of the mind-merge technique. The two of you now share a light psychic connection. I suppose you could work on it and strengthen it, but it will go away if you ignore it."

Panchy looked at Trunks and put her hand on his chest, feeling his heartbeat in synch with hers. He brought his hand up to her neck and when they were touching it felt like an electrical circuit had clicked on and suddenly they could feel everything.

Kami chuckled again, "Yeah, that's what I was referring to."

The two separated, turning back to Kami, who reached into the pocket of his robes and produced the seven-star dragon ball and handed it over to the teenagers. They stood there in awe of the moment, stunned to have finally acquired all the dragon balls.

"We cannot summon Shenron here," Kami said. Trunks and Panchy looked at each other confused, and Kami chuckled, "You'll understand in a moment," he said, grabbing their hands in one of his, then raising his index and middle fingers to the center of his forehead. There was a flash of light similar to the one on the teleportation dais, and suddenly the trio was back on the top level of Kami's lookout, surrounded by brilliant blue skies and fluffy clouds.

 "What was that?!?" Panchy gasped.

"A technique I learned from the people of Planet Yardrat, it's called 'instant transmission'. I can use it to teleport myself and passengers any distance, so long as I've either been there before or can sense someone I know and latch on to their ki signature."

Trunks took the newly acquired seven-star dragon ball and placed it on the ground, opening the pouch that contained the remaining ones, and gently placed them on the polished floor tiles.

"Because I created the dragon balls, Shenron can only be summoned with the language of my people," Kami explained. "Repeat after me: <Oh mighty Shenron, please appear!>"

Trunks stood before the dragon balls and repeated Kami's words, "<Oh mighty Shenron, please appear!>"

Trunks stepped back as the dragon balls began to glow in unison with a flashing pulse, eventually shooting a great column of light into the air. As it connected with the atmosphere, the sky turned dark. Not the darkness of night, dotted with stars, but a deep and unyielding blackness, with flashes of blue and violet lightning spearing across the sky. The beam of light began to contort and swell, forming a serpentine body in the sky that filled the horizon with its mass. A giant horned head formed directly over the platform, and as the light created two massive eyes, the dragon balls began to float and orbit the giant figure.

The gigantic eyes glowed a brilliant red, and lightning flashed around the giant figure as the dragon materialized. Great shimmering green scales the size of dinner plates spanned the huge serpentine form, its immense head adorned with stag-like antlers, and it's glowing red eyes bore through them.

The dragon opened its massive maw, and spoke in a booming voice that shook the sky, "You have summoned me! Make haste and commence with your wish!"

Kami nodded to Trunks to continue.

Trunks stepped forward, "Oh mighty Shenron, I wish to be the smartest man on Earth!"

The dragon's eyes began to glow a bright red, and after a few moments, a thundering laughter made lightning spark across the sky.

"Foolish mortal, you already are the smartest man on this planet. I cannot grant this wish," Shenron said.

Trunks turned to Kami and Panchy, unsure of what to do.

"I don't understand," Trunks told them.

"Well, why did you want to be the smartest man on Earth?" Panchy asked.

"I wanted to make new things and be a great scientist!" Trunks said, throwing his hands up.

"But why did you want to make new things and be a great scientist?" Kami asked.

"Speak your wish, my connection to this dimension is tenuous and does not last long," the dragon rumbled.

"Because I want to make the world a better place!" Trunks shouted in exasperation. "I want to help people! I want to give them a better life! I want to help all the people of Earth, every living thing on it!"

Kami smiled, "I know what your true wish is."

Kami turned to face Shenron, "The humans, Trunks Briefs and Panchy Smith, wish to become my apprentices as Guardians of the Earth. I will share my knowledge and technology with them so they can protect this planet from the dangers I have felt coming."

The dragon's eyes glowed again and after a few moments of silence, interrupted by gentle rumbles of thunder, his eyes stopped glowing and he spoke.

"Your wish is granted. King Kai of the Kaioshin has been informed of your new apprentices and will be watching them closely. Farewell," the dragon called as his body evaporated into a shimmering glow and the sky slowly returned to its previous crystal clear blue. The light seemed to absorb back into the dragon balls before they exploded with a flash and shot across the sky to scatter themselves across the Earth.

* * *

Kami's review of his long life accelerated again, memories of returning Panchy and Trunks to their respective homes in West City bringing a smile to his face despite his imminent demise.

Dr. Briefs had been elated to find out that an actual flesh and blood alien would mentor his son, while Brig. Gen. Smith had reservations about an ancient alien having access to his daughter.

Kami watched from his lookout as Dr. Briefs and Brig. Gen. Smith realized that the dragon balls were too powerful for just anyone to have access to. Brig. Gen. Smith informed the museum curator of the potential danger. He weaved a clever tale of having inside knowledge of the true origin of the ancient object, implying that it was akin to a bomb and needed to be stored more securely, of course at the behest of the government.

For all Brig. Gen. Smith's pragmatism, he acknowledged that the power of the dragon balls was indeed too much power to place in government control. Noticing they had collected the dragon balls, Kami confronted Dr. Briefs and Brig. Gen. Smith about a looming evil presence he felt lurking deep in space. Kami explained that he wasn't a deity, he wasn't all-powerful and that he reported back to a higher being: King Kai of the Kaioshin, who oversaw the north quadrant of the galaxy. King Kai had warned him about planets being destroyed after being pillaged for their resources. While the danger was nowhere near the remote part of the galaxy that held Earth, both Kami and King Kai held a deep foreboding that Earth was a key piece of whatever plans this looming evil presence had.

With the assistance of Dr. Briefs and the newly graduated Dr. Trunks Briefs, a special vault was built beneath the Capsule Corp compound. Trunks was able to fulfill his promise to Oxford King, convincing his father to hire the bear of a man that Dr. Briefs nicknamed "Ox" as their chief of security. Due to the nature of his true purpose, assisting in guarding the dragon balls, he was given a capsule home on the compound that he moved in to with his new wife, Daisy. Sealed within the special vault were 5 of the seven dragon balls. The seven-star dragon ball was put in Kami's protection at Brig. Gen. Smith's suggestion. He admitted to the failings of mortals, and should anyone access the vault they should face Kami's judgment just like anyone else. The remaining four-star dragon ball had landed in an active volcano in Hawaii, making its retrieval impossible, and they decided it was safest to leave it where it was found.

Kami recalled observing from his lookout as Trunks went on to earn 3 more doctorates over the next five years, and Kami held such a sense of pride in the boy who stood proudly before him saying he wanted to be the smartest man on Earth.

Kami had been a comforting presence in those same years for Panchy, as she followed in her father's footsteps, taking the officer track in the Air Force. He knew she had been close to Trunks in the two years after their first search for the dragon balls, and the four years she spent away at the Academy had been tough. He was not surprised when he had heard, shortly after Panchy had graduated from the Academy, that Trunks had proposed. He was moved beyond words when the pair had come to him at the lookout to ask if he would officiate a small ceremony of family at the lookout because it was the place where their lives had changed and brought them all together. 

The pair had decided on their roles as Guardians: Panchy, having reached the rank of Major, with the assistance of her now Lt. General father, worked with the government and military to develop a 'space force' to protect the planet from whatever may come. Trunks, meanwhile, decided he would develop the technology they needed to protect the Earth.

His memories flashed faster, a montage of different times Panchy and Trunks danced to Harry Belafonte, and he was remembered the moment Panchy told Trunks she was pregnant. He could feel their joy as Panchy chattered away about how their child wouldn't be far behind Ox's daughter, Chichi, who was nearing her first birthday.

Nine months shot by and Kami saw the beautiful blue-eyed baby with a scant smattering of blonde fuzz, a daughter they named Tights.

Their lives had never been happier, never felt safer... and that sense of safety was easily shattered.

He remembered that day... why must he relive that day...

Trunks had been working on the plans for the new fully automated lunar base, while Panchy had been reporting to Congress on the progress of the International Space Station, so they'd left Tights with Daisy and Chichi. Hours later they got a call from Daisy that both Tights and Chichi were very sick, and need to go to the hospital. Both children ran fevers over 105 degrees, and by the time Panchy had made it back from the Capitol, both girls were packed in ice a desperate attempt to quell the fever. Both girls had horrible rashes covering their bodies and were hooked up to various machines to give them oxygen and fluids.

Panchy and Trunks were torn... should they use the dragon balls to wish them well? Neither wanted to leave for fear that something would happen, they couldn't bear to leave her side.

They were hopeful and relieved when Chichi's fever broke and signs of recovery took hold.

They were devastated when Tights did not.

They took no comfort in the knowledge that a vaccine developed by Capsule Corp's medical division had protected Chichi because Tights had been too young to receive the vaccine.

Trunks had been mired in grief, blind to everything. Panchy had numbly walked out of the hospital and returned to their compound home, removing the dragon balls from their vault and heading to the hangar for her fastest jet.

He remembered using Instant Transmission to find her at the hangar, suddenly appearing in her path. The conversation still rang in his ears, burned into his memory for all time.

"Where do you think you're going?" Kami said.

"I'm going to retrieve that dragon ball from the volcano and wish her back," Panchy said in a robotic voice.

"You'll die," Kami said bluntly.

"Help me then," Panchy offered.

"I cannot help you," Kami replied grimly.

"A mother would die for her child, you know that," she replied coldly.

"As would a father. Why isn't Trunks with you?" Kami asked.

"It's too dangerous," Panchy said plainly.

"So you would throw your life away and leave him alone in the world, for nothing?" Kami asked.

Panchy finally broke, unstoppable tears rolling down her gaunt face, "Help me, Kami! Please!" She started ranting hysterically, "We can do this, it's just a little volcano! I have the dragon radar. Once we have that, we just need yours and we can wish her back!" Her eyes were wide as she desperately clutched his robes, pleading for an answer.

Kami gently placed his hands on her shoulders, blinking slowly before speaking, "I cannot."

Her face contorted in a pain that broke Kami's heart as she whispered, "Why?"

"Because Shenron doesn't have the power to bring back those who died of natural causes," Kami explained.

The realization hit her like a freight train, he wasn't refusing to help- he was incapable of it.

She was gone. She was gone, and there was nothing they could do to bring her back.

Her legs turned to jelly and she lost her ability to stand, so Kami held her as the two settled on the floor.

The Namekian sat on the floor of the hangar as the young human woman wailed, mourning the missing piece of her soul. Her pain was too much to bear, so Kami opened their psychic connection. He hoped that sharing it would make it easier to bear, and it was- for her. For him, he felt the soul-rending pain of losing a child.

They sat in silence, Panchy curled up in Kami's lap like a child, still desperately clutching his robes. Once her sobs had ebbed, and Kami could feel the burning pain of grief waning enough to be manageable, he spoke.

"Trunks is feeling this same pain," Kami noted. "He needs you, and you need him. Neither of you will be able to heal without the other."

They brought the dragon balls back to the vault, and Panchy went back to the hospital to comfort her husband. She was surprised to be his source of strength when he saw her, he held her tightly as he cried, and she held him back.

Kami's memories began whirling through his mind again. The funeral, the tiny coffin, the congregation dressed in black.

Months of emotional darkness and turmoil, eventually broken by the needs of a husband and wife for physical connection.

In learning to love each other again, they found their pain easier to manage.

When Kami checked in on them mentally and saw them dancing to Harry Belafonte, he knew they would be alright, and gave them space.

Almost a year after Tights passed, Kami suddenly felt fear so intense that he felt compelled to check on them.

Panchy was pregnant, and both her and Trunks were terrified at the prospect of being parents again. Kami did his best not to intervene but shared his calming presence with them. He allowed them to look past their pain and fear, and accept that whether there was more pain in the future or not, there would soon be a tiny human who needed their love.

Time flitted by, and the memory of meeting the new child warmed Kami's heart. Trunks had asked Kami to bring him to Korin, bringing the now 6-month old Bulma with him. Their fear and paranoia eased once she was old enough to be vaccinated.

Once there, Trunks informed Korin of the nature of the visit: the beautiful flowers in his garden and the amazing fruit they produced. Panchy had been so angry to find out that the beautiful flowers she'd admired had healing fruit, she swore she'd never forgive Korin for not providing the beans to save Tights.

Trunks understood that Korin had no way of knowing their need for them, he didn't have the psychic abilities Kami did. Placing Bulma on the floor, Korin investigated the child.

"She looks like you," Korin said. "Her hair is more blue than purple, but she is definitely just like you."

The infant's blue eyes lit up as she saw the cream-colored cat, crawling swiftly towards him.

"KI!" she cooed, smiling brightly as Korin allowed her to 'catch' him and she rubbed her face all over his soft, sweet smelling fur.

With that simple physical connection, Korin was able to make immediate sense of Bulma's babbling, and respond to it.

Kami and Trunks sat there while the infant and the alien cat had a conversation completely devoid of their participation.

After a while, Bulma crawled back to her father, yawning.

"Korin, about the beans," Trunks began.

"Don't bother," Korin replied gruffly.

"Please, Korin!" Trunks pleaded. "Think of the lives that could be saved with medicine derived from those beans! Think of the technological advancements we could make! I have designs for a ship capable of faster than light speeds, and these beans could be the key to a functioning cryo-sleep chamber! I don't ask for selfish reasons!"

"I said don't bother," Korin interjected, "Because Bulma already explained everything." Trunks gaped at Korin, who jumped up and perched on Trunk's shoulder, "She told me all about the inventions you're working on... in very detailed description. On a tangent, you should watch your language around her especially in the lab, she's picking up quite the vocabulary!"

Korin gently touched the sleeping girl's face with his paw as her father held her, "She understands everything. Don't stop taking her with you to the lab, and don't stop explaining how things work. She gets it, she gets it all. She's much smarter than I would've expected for one so... smelly."

"You mean small?" Trunks asked with a chuckle.

"No, I mean smelly," Korin said, crinkling his nose. "She's that smart but can't control her bowels?"

Trunks blushed a light pink, as the odor of lunch having been digested emanated from the tiny human, pungent enough for even a human nose to detect. Korin snorted as he jumped down from Trunks' shoulder and darted behind one of the vine-entangled columns and returned with two leather bags, one red and one blue, nestled into a basket lined with the shimmering opalescent petals.

"The blue bag of beans are ripe and ready for use," Korin explained. "The red ones have germinated and are ready to be planted."

Trunks gave Korin a confused look.

"The red beans are for Panchy's garden," Korin explained, with a sad look in his eye. "They won't produce viable beans, but they will sprout and blossom," Korin gave a forlorn smile. "Bulma said the flowers and vines were pretty, and she thought they would make her mother smile."

Trunks knelt down to take the basket and gave Korin a fond pat on the head when little Bulma let out a nauseating gaseous emission.

"YUCK! Kami, get this stinky thing out of my garden, make sure she's got better control of herself when you bring her back!" Korin bellowed as he scampered off into the vines.

 After that, Kami had played a more active role in Trunks' and Panchy's mentoring as Guardians of the Earth.

He provided counsel to Panchy with military strategies, allowing her to prevent wars with diplomacy and bring the nations of Earth together as allies, despite not being one single country. His insight helped her negotiate many a peace treaty, even for disputes her country had no involvement in, earning the rank of General.

Kami took an equally hands-on approach with Trunks, providing him with Namekian technology that advanced Earth's native tech hundreds of years forward. Trunks was careful not to give humanity too much, for fear of self-annihilation. He was, however, able to provide clean energy for 30% of Earth's population, with plans to expand that to 50% in 10 years. Flying cars had become all the rage, and Earth had satellites orbiting all over. There were two stations implemented to monitor the Earth, with Capsule Corp holding a secret lunar base and corresponding satellites.

Then the call had come from King Kai, revealing the truth of their ominous premonitions. The planets that had been destroyed by a villain claiming to be Emperor: Lord Frieza. He would pillage the planet for all its resources and either sell it as part of his Planet Trade Organization or outright destroy it. King Kai also explained that the last planet to be destroyed was protected by another Namekian guardian that he had recruited millennia ago, Mefla. Frieza's men tortured Mefla for information, who revealed the existence of the dragon balls and provoked Frieza's men into killing him. The PTO army, under Frieza's control, searched the planet but were unable to find the dragon balls, and destroyed the planet out of spite.

Kami knew that because of Elder Guru's power, Frieza would never be able to find his home planet, Namek, but apparently, Frieza had the ability to track and find Namekians off their home planet... and his course was set for Earth!

Kami could barely believe it had only been 12 hours since the lunar base and satellites had gone offline.

They hadn't even detected any vessels, but Kami's ability to sense the looming evil noted their presence near the Hawaiian volcano where the only unguarded dragon ball resided. Kami watched closely as the two aliens surveyed the volcano. One had pale blue skin, with carefully coiffed hair secured into a ponytail and wearing a beaded tiara that dangled a gem between his eyes, one of which was covered with a clear plate attached to a device on the side of his head. His companion was a short, rotund, pink being with spiky warts along its head and limbs whose face was adorned with the same clear plate and device attached to his head. They hovered over the open volcano when the fat pink one touched the device on his head and pointed to the direction where Kami knew the dragon ball was. The pair descended into the volcano and beyond where Kami could sense them, so he suppressed his power level and used Instant Transmission to appear above the volcano where the alien beings had descended.

"<That wasn't so difficult, now was it, Dodoria?" the handsome one with the green hair preened.

"<I guess not, but we still have to find the rest of them>," the fat pink one, Dodoria apparently, replied.

"<And now you know why Lord Frieza sent me- tactics. It's quite simple. We destroyed the puny outpost this planet had on their moon, and their satellites haven't detected the fleet orbiting above the planet>," the green-haired one spoke eloquently as Dodoria admired the dragon ball with a befuddled smile.

"<You're such an idiot, Dodoria," he said. "Now is the perfect time to apply strategy X-107G86N3A>."

The fat one smiled evilly, "<That's a good idea, Zarbon! I've been itching for a fight>."

The green-haired one, Zarbon, continued, "<We'll divide up the fleet and attack all the major cities at once and work our way out from there until we find every last one>."

Kami knew he had to stop them before their plan could be set to action, moved to confront the war-mongering aliens.

As Zarbon and Dodoria noted Kami's presence, tense silence engulfed the air above the Hawaiian volcano. 

Kami glared at the large blue-skinned alien, and his round pink companion.

"<Listen here, Freiza sent us to collect the Dragon Balls, and you're going to give them to us, or we will destroy you and this puny planet>," the Dodoria replied in the universal language of the Planetary Trade Organization.

"<Now now, Dodoria, there's no need for threats>," Zarbon said, his words dripping sweetly from his mouth. "<Surely some kind of accord can be reached without having to destroy an entire planet>," he replied, the hint of danger clear in his voice.

"<I would die before allowing villains like you access to the Dragon Balls>," Kami replied through gritted teeth, getting into a battle stance.

"<Well, if you insist on the destruction of this filthy little mud-ball, who am I to refuse you?>" Zarbon replied.

The attack was over before it had barely even begun, Zarbon and Dodoria's combined might overpowering ancient Kami with surprising ease.

Zarbon held Kami by the tattered remains of his robe and sneered at the Namekian, "<Any last words, Namek?>"

"<Frieza will never get the dragon balls>," Kami replied fiercely. While he may not be able to alert the sentinels of the Earth of the specifics of what happened, he knew they would be alerted to the severity of the situation soon enough. As the ki-flames engulfed him, burning his robes and flesh, he knew it was time to place the safety of Earth in the hands of Earthlings. He smiled as his body turned to ash, leaving the aliens alone, hovering over the volcano as ash and a smooth round stone plummeted to the ground.

Dodoria looked down at the dragon ball in his hand, "<Uh, Zarbon>..."

The pair of aliens looked at the dragon ball that had suddenly turned from a clear, transparent amber, to a solid opaque granite.

"<Great! We finally manage to get our hands on one and it's broken!" Dodoria whined.

"<Shut up! We're going to follow through with our strategy and find out what happened and if we can make them work again>," Zarbon hissed. 

* * *

Deep underground at Capsule Corp, Panchy was hard at work in her office looking over another peace treaty. She was overcome with an overwhelming sense of dread and sat down at her desk. She had picked up the habit of keeping the three-star dragon ball nearby, and when she felt upset she would hold it to take comfort in Kami's presence.

As she held it, the feeling of dread only grew, when suddenly the three-star Dragon Ball flashed brilliantly and turned to stone; she realized Kami's warning had come to fruition. The Dragon Balls were stone and their creator, Kami, was dead. This could only mean one thing: the dangerous aliens he had portended finally arrived.

"TRUNKS!!" Panchy yelled, grabbing the spherical stone as she raced off to find her husband.


	4. Exodus: The Battle for Capsule Corp

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, more death.  
> More destruction.  
> More feels.  
> It's Alderaan all over again.

"MOMMY," the terrified five-year-old girl screamed over her father's shoulder.

"Panchy! Wait!" Trunks yelled over the explosions that rocked the compound. His dark eyes flashing with concern as his wife lifted the portable ki-cannon to her shoulder, making her stand in the hall leading to the hangar.

"Trunks, there's no time. Get her to the pod and get her off this planet! I'll hold them off as long as I can," Panchy replied sternly. "She's our only hope. If she isn't off this planet before..."

"I love you," Dr. Breifs whispered, resigned to their fate.

"Please don't leave me, Mommy," Bulma cried, tears streaming from her glacier blue eyes.  
  
Despite the screams and chaos, Panchy lowered her weapon to caress her daughter's face one last time, kissing her face and smiling. "I will never leave you. No matter what, I will always be a part of you. No matter where you go in all the universe, a piece of me will always be with you. Be good for your father and remember your mission," she choked back tears and tried desperately to put on a brave face for her little girl. "I love you, Princess. I love you more than the moon and sun, more than all the stars in the sky." She turned to her husband, lifting her ki-cannon as the steady thrum of war bore down on the fortress that was Capsule Corp. "Get her out of here, Trunks. NOW."

As the sound of screams and boots on the tiled floor came closer, Dr. Breifs ran for the underground hangar where the space pod prototype remained. He glanced over his shoulder as he rounded the corner he saw his wife in all her former military glory. Blue eyes shining with determination, blonde hair flailing wildly as explosions burst around her, a war cry torn from her lips as she obliterated soldier after soldier attempting to thwart their plan.

* * *

  _ **Eight Hours Earlier** _

Panchy had raced up the stairs to find Trunks and Bulma listening to music when she burst into the room with the stone dragon ball in her hands and tears streaming down her face. She was trying to find the words to express herself as Trunks turned off the music.

"He's gone, Trunks! Kami! He's dead!" She sobbed as she showed him the former dragon ball in her trembling hands.

Bulma looked up confused as her father comforted her mother and hugged her waist. She remembered old man Kami fondly and wasn't sure she understood... dead?

"He's in the spirit world with PopPop?" Bulma asked.

"Yeah, sweetie," Trunks said, remembering his father's funeral only eighteen months ago. "He's with PopPop now."

The trio stood, giving comfort to one another when Panchy pulled away, wiping the tears from her cheeks and collecting herself.

"Trunks, you know what this means, don't you?" she asked.

Trunks nodded grimly, "We need to get down to the command center and check on the satellites!"

Panchy numbly put the useless dragon ball in her pocket and scooped Bulma up, following her husband to the command center below their living quarters in the compound. She caught up to him as he started mumbling to himself while checking on the multitude of alerts going off.

"Lunar base went offline about 45 minutes ago..." Trunks muttered, "Computer, show most recent images of Lunar Base."

"Most recent image, from 32 minutes ago," the computer replied, displaying the image sent from the now destroyed satellite. Where once the fully automated Capsule Corp Lunar Base existed, there was now a large charred crater.

"Satellite communications array is at 89%..." Trunks continued, "Something's taking out our satellites."

As Trunks began addressing all the alerts, Panchy sat Bulma down and began addressing the issue of identifying the invaders.

"Computer, are the stealth Capsule Corp Subterfuge Satellites still online?" Panchy asked.

"Yes, General Briefs," the computer replied.

"Scan the planet's surface for alien tech, anything that isn't ours," Panchy ordered.

"General, I believe I have found the threat," the computer replied after a few moments. "Near coordinates 19° 23′ N, 155° 12′ W, the southeast coast of Hawaii's Big Island."

The computer brought up the live satellite image of the foreign ship, and Panchy gave the command, "Release the reconnaissance drones."

Using technology developed by Trunks' study of Namekian technology and Kami's 'Instant Transmission', a drone was launched from Capsule Corp's command center directly to the site in Hawaii where the computer had located the aliens.

"Well, that's definitely not one of ours," Panchy noted as she observed the alien ship. It resembled an insect with its multitude of legs and carapace-like windows.

She watched the live video feed intently, letting out a gasp that brought Trunks to her side as the aliens appeared. They noted the aliens' features as they seemed to be having a discussion when they suddenly froze. Panchy let out a startled yelp when suddenly the fat spiky alien's face filled the screen, having grabbed the drone. The view from the drone went off-kilter and was being manually manipulated when Panchy frantically shouted to the computer, "Initiate self-destruct protocol for recon droid 001-A!"

"Computer, track that ship! I want to know where it's going and what it's doing!" she continued as the droid's display went black after a brief flash of light.

"General Briefs, the aliens appear to have boarded their ship and are returning to orbit," the computer responded, giving a live satellite feed of the ship.

"Panchy! Satellites are down to 75% How is one ship taking out our satellites so fast?" Trunks asked.

"Computer, realign Capsule Corp's stealth satellites to hide in the debris fields from the destroyed satellites," Panchy commanded. "Use evasive maneuvers to keep our comms up!"

"There's no way they're doing this with just one ship," Trunks mumbled. "Let's see if there's something..."

He began flipping through different filters to see if there was something he was missing. As ran a diagnostic to check for anomalies, he noticed high levels of radiation in the upper atmosphere, similar to when a solar flare happened... but no reported solar activity had been reported in weeks. Within minutes he had extrapolated the data, reconfigured the sensors, and the two humans gaped in astonishment as a fleet of 30 ships came into view on the screen.

As Panchy and Trunks stood there, stunned, they realized a full-scale invasion of Earth was happening... right now.

They were interrupted from their stunned stupor as Ox charged in, trailed by his wife, Daisy, and their daughter.

"Chichi!" Bulma cried, running over and hugging her.

Ox had a stern look to his face as he turned to Panchy and Trunks, "Cell service is out. There are reports of 'a volcanic explosion' in Hawaii all over the news. My gut says something's off."

Trunks turned to the Chichi and Bulma, "Why don't you guys go with Daisy up to the kitchen and get us a snack? Then come right back here, ok?" he asked gently, in that calming voice of a parent trying to keep a child from panicking.

"Ok Daddy," Bulma said, trying to fake a cheerful voice, she hugged him before taking Chichi's hand and following Daisy up to the kitchens.

Once the children had left, the adults let their guard down, filling Ox in on the situation.

"Computer, how many satellites are left?" Trunks asked grimly.

"Satellite grid is down to 45%," the computer replied. "75% of Capsule Corp stealths satellites have successfully hidden in the orbiting debris fields."

"Keep tracking that fleet, let me know if they break from orbit," Panchy commanded.

"What are we going to do, boss?" Ox asked as he gazed to Trunks and then Panchy.

"I need you to get evacuations started," Panchy said. "All military and security personnel, active and reserve, are to report for duty immediately. Station them at the strategic defense points we discussed. Then issue evacuation warnings and have civilians either seek shelter at their nearest bomb shelter or leave the city." Panchy concluded with a nod, "Report back to me once the perimeter has been secured."

As Ox left the room, Panchy turned to her husband, "Trunks, those shelters aren't going to save them, are they?"

Trunks looked at her grimly and nodded in affirmation. Panchy could see the gears of his mind turning, searching for a solution that might not exist.

"Panchy, I don't know what to do," Trunks admitted. "I don't know if we can stop them. These aliens seem too powerful, and King Kai already told us about the planets they've already destroyed."

"I won't stand here and let you give up on humanity, on Earth. Surely there is something we can do!" Panchy said in exasperation.

"Well, I do have an idea, but you're not going to like it," Trunks said with trepidation.

"Oh really?" Panchy asked.

"Yes. It involves a lot of death and destruction," Trunks said.

Panchy laughed bitterly, "And you didn't think I'd like it?"

"Most of the deaths will be us," Trunks noted with a sense of doom.

Panchy gave him a quizzical look that slowly melted into shock and finally horror, "The Kamehameha Wave? Trunks, you can't be serious!"

"So we should lie down and die and have our deaths mean nothing? At least we can take them with us!" Trunks shot back.

Panchy embraced her husband, "What about Bulma? And Chichi? They had their whole lives ahead of them!"

Their minds raced as the prospect that their entire world was coming to an end made itself real. Panchy felt Trunks suddenly stiffen as he pulled away.

"I have an idea," he said calmly. "I think I can save us all." Panchy stared at Trunks blankly, unable to follow his thoughts as he continued. "It's going to take time, how much time can you give me?"

"Computer, satellite grid status," Panchy commanded.

"Satellite grid is down to 30%, 90% of those being the remaining Capsule Corp Stealth Satellites," the computer responded.

"They think they have us blind," Panchy noted. "I think..."

"General! I am sorry to interrupt, but the fleet appears to be breaking off into attack formations," the computer interrupted.

"Where are they headed?" Panchy asked, slamming her fist on the console.

"They appear to be breaking off and heading for the largest of Earth's cities based on population," the computer replied.

"Computer, send a message to all heads of state apprising them of the impending invasion. Tell them to get to their evacuation points and put their faith in us, because we're about to save the Earth."

Panchy took Trunks' hand and gave it a comforting squeeze as Daisy and the girls returned with their snacks. She turned to Trunks, "Please tell me you have a plan."

Trunks' brows creased in concentration as he stepped forward and began working at the console, "Computer, use CCSS-00865 to launch drone 603B at the nearest ship."

After a moment the computer replied, "Objective complete."

Trunks manually took control of the drone, utilizing it to hack the ship's computer and download its databases remotely to the compound.

"Computer, is lunar launch field B still functional?" Trunks asked as he began analyzing the data.

"Confirmed, lunar launch field B is untouched," the computer replied.

"Trunks!" Panchy said in exasperation, wanting an explanation of what he had planned.

"Project 'Deep Space'..." Trunks said as he turned his gaze to their 5-year old daughter eating apple slices on the floor a few feet away, "Has become 'Project Scion'."

Panchy didn't seem to understand.

"Computer, rename project 'Deep Space' to 'Scion'," Trunks continued typing away manually at the console. "Download the selected files to Scion. Has the virtual reality simulator completed the final diagnostics?"

"Yes, Dr. Briefs," the computer replied. "It will take approximately 35 minutes to download the files, it's 5 petabytes of data."

"What are you doing?" Panchy asked.

"I'm downloading the Library of Congress, all of Capsule Corp's data, along with a virtual reality simulation I've been developing for a manned deep space probe," Trunks explained. "The pilot would be in suspended animation based on my studies with Korin's Senzu beans."

Panchy followed Trunks' gaze to their daughter, who sat chatting blissfully with Chichi and Daisy when she realized what he meant... scion.

"She helped me build it," Trunks said with a chuckle. "She knows so much more than I ever could have hoped to have known at her age."

"But where will we send her?" Panchy asked. "Kami's gone. There are no dragon balls to fix this. We're just going to launch our daughter out into the universe and hope that she's ok??"

"That's why I hacked their database, I'm scanning their logs to see if they've found Kami's planet," Trunks explained. With a few more minutes Trunks was able to crack the databases he'd downloaded from the ship and access to a virtual encyclopedia of the planets in their galaxy, so he immediately searched for Namek.

"Good! They haven't found it! Ha!" Trunks laughed. "I think this might actually work!"

Panchy frowned and tapped her foot impatiently as Trunks explained, "We're going to send Bulma to Namek and have her use the dragon radar to collect their dragon balls and with back the Earth and Kami! We can fix everything if we can get Bulma to Namek!"

"And you plan to use the 'IT' pad to get to the lunar launch base..." Pancy lost herself in concentration for a moment before continuing. "We need to draw them all here, get them as far from the moon as possible. 'Deep Space' never had a weapons system installed," Panchy noted.

Trunks frowned, "No, but the shields are better than the ones these ships have. If we can keep their ships within orbit, we can take them out with the Kamehameha wave."

"Is the pod ready for launch?" Panchy asked.

"There are a few things I need to put in there, some capsules and stuff. We need suits, there's nothing there but an 'IT' pad and the launch pad," Trunks noted.

"Go get what you need," Panchy said as Trunks rushed off.

It seemed as if hours had passed by the time Ox returned with his report, "Evacuations are underway. Security and military personnel are stationed and prepared for anything."

He paused, deciding to be blunt, "The Capitol is gone. So are the other capitals... Moscow, Paris, London... nothing but fiery craters." Panchy noticed the portable ki cannons Ox had draped over his shoulders, and he shrugged, "I stopped by the armory." He passed Panchy a ki cannon and a set of portable shielding bracelets.

"General," the computer interrupted. "A ship is moving into position over West City."

"They're here," Panchy whispered.

The silence of the control room was broken by a deep sonorous rumble that shook the compound to its foundation.

Bulma and Chichi screamed, and Daisy immediately went to comfort them.

Trunks came rushing back in with a sack of capsules and a pair of space suits, he handed the smaller one to Panchy who helped dress a crying and stunned Bulma.

"Reports are coming in that the Courthouse and government buildings in town have already been destroyed. Their troops seem to be following the path of resistance and are headed right for us," Ox continued.

Bulma's lip trembled as Panchy secured the space suit on her daughter, "Who's my funny bunny?" Panchy asked, trying to ease the turmoil in the young child. "Mommy and Daddy have a special mission for you. It's going to be a long trip, and it's going to be scary by yourself," she explained.

At 'by yourself', fat tears began to roll down the cherubic cheeks of her daughter's face, "Shhh, now don't cry. You're going to space! You're going to meet all kinds of new people and new things and you're going to learn so much, but you have a very important mission. You won't have to pilot much, Daddy has everything already programmed, you're going to Kami's planet- Namek."

Bulma's tears stopped falling as her face filled with wonder, as Panchy continued.

"Once you get to Namek, you need to collect the dragon balls and summon the dragon so you can wish us back. That is your primary objective. Do you understand?" Panchy asked sternly.

Bulma steeled her face, wiping away the tears and nodding seriously.

"Files are done downloading, cryo-sleep is running to spec, engines are online... everything looks good to go..." Trunks muttered.

"Boss! Zone 4 is getting some serious fire!" Ox yelled when the compound was suddenly shaken by a set of explosions.

"Computer, is the IT platform in the hangar still accessible?" Panchy asked.

"Yes, General. There have been some structural collapses, but there is still a service tunnel that is open and connects with the hangar," the computer replied.

"Trunks, you take Bulma down there and get her out of here. I don't know how much longer we can hold them off," Panchy said.

"I'll stay with her," Ox said, stepping forward. "We'll buy you enough time to get her out of here," he promised as he shook the Doctor's hand for what felt like the last time.

"Chichi, I need you to go with Dr. Breifs and Bulma," Daisy said to her budding 13-year-old daughter. "He might need your help."

Ox glared at his wife, "This isn't a 'Call of Duty' tournament. This is a real battle with live weapons."

She glared right back, "I know that. If you think I'm going to let you face this without me, you're sorely mistaken!"

Trunks gathered the satchel of capsules and scooped Bulma into his arms, a shell-shocked Chichi right by his side as they made a break for the hall.

"MOMMY!"

* * *

**NOW** :

They had fought their best; they knew how it would end and they still fought with everything they had.

Between their portable shield generators that deflected projectiles and ki-based attacks with surety, the ki cannons decimated the incoming soldiers. Between Ox and Panchy's offensive attacks, and Daisy backing them up, the trio had taken out hundreds of soldiers.

Ox's return fire caused the enemy to retreat, leaving the humans with a chance to regroup behind the portion of a collapsed wall.

"The perimeter is over-run, there's no one left. I'm not getting any replies on the wireless comms," Ox noted.

"We haven't bought them enough time," Panchy gritted out, pulling a large shard of glass from her arm and tying it off with a scrap of cloth torn from her shirt. She peeked around the corner of the concrete debris they hid behind, trying to observe what was happening amid the silence.

Why had the enemy troops fallen back?

 _Oh_... Panchy realized, as the familiar aliens from before strutted into her garden like they hadn't murdered half a planet, her friends- her family!

"<I don't see what all the fuss was about, Zarbon>," the fat pink alien spoke. "<Where's the fighting? Where's the carnage? It looks like this planet's done for>."

"<Our forces report one final pocket of resistance at this location, remember, we need to interrogate some prisoners and get these dragon balls working>," Zarbon reminded him.

A pebble shifted loose in the rubble as Panchy retreated to her previous position. She turned to Ox and gave him hand signals to indicate her plan: split up and fire from both sides, running for cover approximately 30 yards away while Daisy covered their flanks. On her signal, they made a break for it, seemingly catching the alien duo off guard.

Daisy was the first to fall, a ki blast to the chest.

Ox's scream of grief and defiance echoed across the scarred battlefield that was formerly Panchy's garden, as he saw Daisy's lifeless body hit the ground with a basketball sized hole in her chest.

He charged at the source of the blast, the pink alien, using the ki cannon's rapid fire setting. Dodoria grinned evilly as he charged at the large human, breaking through his ki shield to crush their source: the bracelets and the wrists that wore them. As Ox collapsed to the ground, Dodoria's grip on his crushed and mangled wrists remained true as he kicked Ox in the face.

The force of Dodoria's kick, without a ki shield to deflect his strength, caused Oxford King's head to virtually explode in a mist of pink and red chunks.

"NOOOO!" Panchy screamed as Ox's headless corpse hit the ground.

Her scream morphed from one of emotional pain to that of physical pain, as Zarbon used the same technique to take out Panchy's ki shield that Dodoria had used on Ox... crushing her wrists but not to the extent that Dodoria had. He had simply crushed them instead of essentially ripping off her hands.

He couldn't have her bleeding out before he'd finished questioning her.

"<What do you know about the dragon balls?>" Dodoria asked as Zarbon held her mangled wrists.

Panchy glared defiantly at the fat alien, "I can't understand you, you piece of shit."

Zarbon smiled, his physical touch allowing him to use the technique he learned from the felines of Senzu before Frieza had it purged.

"You can understand me, though, can't you?" Zarbon asked.

Panchy's pale face flashed from pain to shock before she could school her features into her classic poker face.

"What do you want from me? What can I possibly have that you want? You've destroyed my people, my planet... What more can you take from us?" Panchy spat through gritted teeth.

"How do I activate the dragon balls?" Zarbon asked.

"Activate?" Panchy asked.

Dodoria produced the round stone spheres that were once dragon balls, showing them to Panchy as Zarbon squeezed her wrists and she winced in pain. Most of the nerves had been crushed and no longer worked, but there was still plenty of pain.

"Yes, how do I make them work again?" Zarbon asked, irritated.

Panchy laughed hysterically, these idiots had no idea how the dragon balls work.

"<What's so funny>?" Dodoria asked.

Zarbon gave Panchy a fierce glare as he spoke, "Indeed, what is so funny?"

Time, I have to buy Trunks more time, Panchy thought before she spoke, "It doesn't matter, you wouldn't be able to use them if you could!"

"What do you mean?" Zarbon asked as he dropped her.

Panchy grunted as she fell to the ground, "After collecting the dragon balls, you have to face Kami's judgment."

Zarbon laughed, "That pathetic Namekian? We already killed him."

Panchy laughed bitterly, as she spoke slowly and deliberately, "Even if you pass Kami's judgment and collect the final dragon ball, you'd still be limited by the dragon's ability. He can't bring back those who have died a natural death."

Zarbon chuckled, "We have no intentions of resurrecting the dead."

Panchy doubled over on herself laughing, _I've stalled as long as I can_ , she thought to herself as she used the opportunity to pull a ki grenade loose that she had stashed in the cargo pocket of her pants.

"But none of that matters," Panchy said, having carefully placed the grenade between her knees. "Because when you killed Kami, you destroyed the dragon balls."

Zarbon glared at her angrily, "How do I know you're telling the truth?"

"I guess we'll never know," Panchy said as she looked up at him, the grenade's pin in her teeth, she grinned at him as she dropped the grenade she clutched between her knees.

* * *

**Elsewhere** : 

He ran through the twisting corridors, opening the secret panel to enter the hidden hanger where his latest prototype sat, ready for launch. Chichi helped him move the pod on top of the Instant Transmission pad in the hangar.

"We'll remote launch straight from the IT pad once the pod is on the moon. It won't matter if the IT pad is destroyed," Trunks told Chichi and Bulma.

He opened the hatch on the small pod, barely large enough to hold the small girl, and strapped her inside.

"Daddy, please... don't do this! I don't want to leave you! I don't want to leave Mommy! I want to stay with you! I can help," the child gasped out between sobs.

Dr. Breifs hooked up the life support systems to his daughter, trying to explain, "Baby, you can't stay here. It isn't safe. We were wrong, we thought we could take care of ourselves, but we need help." He placed the pack of capsules next to her in the pod, "The pod will take you to a planet where you will be safe, where you can get help. You'll sleep the whole way there, and while you sleep the pod will teach you everything we know. Everything your mother and I learned in our lives, everything in all of our studies... the pod will teach it to you. It may take a long time to get there, but remember- find Namek. The Namekians will help you fix everything. But most importantly, Bulma... remember how much your Mommy and Daddy love you."

The explosions were getting closer, and time was running out. Trunks took one last moment to kiss her before sealing the pod, muffling her terrified cries as he initiated the IT pad to transport the pod to the secondary lunar launch pad. He quickly activated the IT pad and watched the pod that contained humanity's last hope disappeared, only to reappear on the target IT pad on the moon. Trunks used the tablet to quickly initiate the launch sequence as he heard Chichi's shriek of fear end with an unnatural suddenness. He turned to find the girl with a baseball-sized hole on her back that went clear through her torso. 

Trunks choked back bile and noticed 30 seconds to launch, after that she would be out of the solar system in under 5 minutes.

 _Five minutes_. He just had to buy her more five minutes.

He pulled up the remote activation for the Kamehameha Wave, it was a revolutionary device that Trunks devised- a planet breaker. A sad, final solution. If they weren't going to make it, the least they could do for the universe was stopping their evil reign of terror.

He did the calculations in his head, _Bulma only needs about 200 seconds to clear the concussive blast wave_ , and he set the timer.

"<Look, Zarbon, there's one more left to interrogate! Maybe the puny human woman was lying!>" Dodoria said.

Kicking the lifeless body of Chichi out of their way, the alien duo made their way to Dr. Briefs."Look here, human, you're going to answer me or I'm going to destroy you like I did all the others," Zarbon said.

Trunks stood silently, mentally ticking away the seconds in his head. 

"How do we reactivate the dragon balls?" Zarbon asked.

"Reactivate?" Trunks asked.

Dodoria didn't need to understand his words to understand his tone and body language, "<These stupid humans, it's a good thing we've wiped them out. Can't even answer simple questions.>"

Zarbon grabbed Trunks by the collar of his lab coat, "I won't ask again, human. How do I reactivate them?" He displayed the stone orbs he had collected from the volcano, Kami, and Panchy.

"The only way to reactivate them is to bring Kami back to life," Trunks explained. When neither alien spoke, he decided to expound and tick away the precious few remaining seconds. "You killed him, and the only way to bring him back is to use dragon balls. It seems to be quite the paradox, doesn't it?"

"Where can I find more dragon balls?" Zarbon asked.

"Well, it seems rather pointless to find more dragon balls to wish Kami back to life only to use his dragon balls," Trunks rambled, checking his tablet subtlely... the pod had already launched.

The countdown timer on his tablet flipped from 120 seconds to 119... 118...

"So, there are other dragon balls?" Zarbon deduced.

"I suppose there could be. If there are more Namekians, there are surely more dragon balls," Trunks said. He needed to keep them there... just a little bit longer... keep them talking.

"Zarbon! <Long range sensors from the ship are showing an escape pod leaving the orbit of this planet's satellite,>" Dodoria called.

Zarbon felt tense... something was off. "Dodoria, <Have the troops fall back, and send off a battalion to track that pod>." His instincts were driving him into fight or flight mode, leaning more towards flight. "What did you just launch?"

95 seconds...

Trunks laughed.

Zarbon began putting the pieces together.

"Who was in that pod?" He asked plainly.

80 seconds.

Trunks laughed again, "It doesn't matter. You'll never catch her."

Zarbon glared at Trunks and then Dodoria, whose face puckered up as if sucking on a lemon.

"We will catch her. We will follow her to the ends of the universe, and we will take the dragon balls from her," Zarbon replied.

60 seconds.

_In less than a minute the Earth would cease to exist._

"No. You won't. You won't catch her. You won't take the dragon balls from her. You won't even follow her," Trunks said with a hysterical grin of impending doom.

Zarbon laughed arrogantly, "Oh really?"

"Yes. Because your reign of terror ends here. On Earth. The kaioshin know of your evil ways and the last Guardian of the Earth will destroy you," Trunks said, showing Zarbon the tablet.

20 seconds.

19 seconds.

18.

Zarbon dropped Trunks.

17.

He crashed through the roof and immediately made for the ship, not even turning to see if Dodoria followed as he succumbed to instinct: getting the fuck off this planet.

15.

Trunks sat in the bunker and watched the seconds tick by and contemplated his life.

His wife, his constant companion. He would be with her again soon.

10 seconds.

His daughter was safe. He might not be there, neither of them would be... but he had set her up for success. Once she got to light speed, she would enter cryo-sleep and their holographic counterparts will teach her everything they knew.

5... 

4...

_Goodbye, Panchy._

3...

_Goodbye, Bulma._

2...

_I loved you both so very much._

1...

_Goodbye, Earth._

...

* * *

**Meanwhile:**

"Preparing to leave Lunar orbit," the pod's computer called. If it weren't for the millions of humans being murdered on the planet below, Bulma would have enjoyed a jaunt into space. Her father had always promised her he would take her to space, and her breath hitched in wonder as the view outside the porthole dipped and Bulma had one final view of her planet before the pod changed trajectory and aimed itself out of the solar system, deeper into the galaxy. The moon shone with eerie brilliance as it grew larger in her field of vision.

"Preparing for the jump to light speed," the pod's computer announced.

Suddenly, the tiny pod was jolted and red lights flashed within, "Concussive wave detected, impact in 20 seconds. Engaging evasive measures to avoid incoming debris."

Through the blur of tears, Bulma saw the debris of her home planet shoot past her pod, the holographic display that appeared in front of her showed the incoming battleships closing in on her. She screamed as the pod bounced crazily and seemingly came to a stop. The alarms stopped blaring as a voice came over the comms link.

"<Power down your hyperdrive and surrender or face total annihilation>," the raspy foreign voice called.

The child sat, frozen in fear when her pod's computer announced, "Debris field cleared, commencing with the jump to lightspeed."

As her tiny ship's engine roared to life, she was thrust back in her seat, held firm by the sudden force propelling her through space near the speed of light. Reality appeared to bend a writhe through the porthole, stars stretching to lines of frozen light as she moved faster than her brain could process their images from her eyes. The immense pressure on her chest eased as the tiny pod adjusted to the change, and the reality of the situation hit her.

Earth is gone. Everyone on it destroyed. Everyone she ever loved, gone. Everything she ever knew, destroyed. Nothing but ash and dust, circling her native star.

The last human, alone in the vast universe.

Her gasping sobs shook her tiny body, the edges of her vision turning black as she wheezed, desperately trying to pull air into lungs that refused to cooperate.

"Stress levels reaching critical levels. Cryo-sleep mode activated," the pod's computer chirped.

Before she could comprehend what the computer said, she slipped into a synthetic sleep while the pod shot through the stars, bearing the last living human on her journey to save her species.


	5. The Final Frontier

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 4 years is space is boring.  
> Or is it?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just wanted to point something out. The way I use names has a bit of meaning. Many may not have noticed that after introducing Panchy as "Bunny" it slowly morphed into just Panchy and finally "General". It was meant to show character growth and progression, "Bunny" being the childlike self that she leaves behind in the transition to adulthood, and finally maturing as an adult with a military officer's title. Likewise, Trunks became "Dr. Briefs", but his character growth was different and not as dramatic.  
> Here in their virtual world, their holographic counterparts are referred to as "Mother" and "Father", and that's also important.  
> This isn't Panchy, and this isn't Trunks. Sure, their personalities are downloaded, but the programs themselves acknowledge that they are not General and Dr. Briefs. It's part of why they're often cold and speaking at a level above your average 5-9 year old. But she's Bulma fucking Briefs, and no one baby-talks her.  
> Also, they need to move from the foreground of the plot to the background, and this seemed like a good method. I know I've focused a lot on them, but this isn't really THEIR story... and maybe Trunks wasn't talking about HIMSELF when he said his last words. *LE GASP!* FORESHADOWING!  
> DUN DUN DUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUN!  
> Anyhow, let me know if it gets awkward or confusing.

 

It seemed like a dream, hazy and surreal... and yet, so very real. Everything, the sounds the smells, the feel of the familiar tile beneath her feet... yet somehow it wasn't. Something about it all didn't make sense... she couldn't quite explain it.

She was back at Capsule Corp... with her mother and father! She ran to them, embracing them, sobbing as she clung desperately.

"Mommy! Daddy! I thought you were gone!" she cried.

The illusion of her father gently stroked her hair as she sobbed into his chest.

"I'm so sorry, Princess," he replied. "We are."

The small girl shook with grief as the illusion of her mother explained, "We feared this would happen, and this was our last gambit. Their weaponry far surpassed our own, and we knew we were defenseless. Our planet seemed doomed, and as a last resort we activated the Kamehameha Wave hoping to at least take our enemies down with us."

Bulma sat there, stunned as her father continued, "Our last hope is you. Do you remember your mission?"

Having trouble discerning reality from this dream-state... was that horrible nightmare real, and this the dream?

"Your mission is to recruit the assistance of the aliens of Namek, and use their Dragon Balls to restore our planet now that we've rid the universe of the evil aliens who destroyed us."

"Namek?" Bulma asked.

"Yes," her mother said. "Do you remember old Kami who would visit?"

The girl nodded numbly, never consciously realizing how odd it was that Kami wasn't like the others on Earth. His green skin and antennae should have alerted her, but his kind and loving heart made the differences in appearance a moot point.

"Namek is his home planet, and Kami created the Dragonballs we had on Earth."

"Why didn't you just wish them away with our Dragonballs?" Bulma asked.

"Because there wasn't enough power. Our Dragonballs weren't powerful enough to stop the threat of Freiza and the Cold Empire," her father interrupted. "But the Namekian Dragonballs are much more powerful. Now that we've destroyed Freiza and annihilated his army, it doesn't matter. With the Namekian Dragonballs, you can wish the Earth and all of its inhabitants back, and we can live in peace again."

Panchy gave a stoic gaze, "As peaceful as we ever were..."

Dr. Breifs gave Panchy a stern glare, before turning back to Bulma.

"You're not my parents," the small girl noted.

"No," the illusion of her mother replied. "We aren't."

"We are the artificial intelligence created by Trunks Briefs to help you with your mission. Dr. and General Briefs had their personalities downloaded to this pod's computer to run as a simulation while you are in cryo-sleep. Their thoughts, their knowledge, everything that made them who they are, was downloaded into the pod to help train you for this mission," the Trunks simulation explained. "I was given the designation of "Father"."

"And I was given the designation of "Mother"," General Briefs revealed. "It will take a long time to get to Namek, and you need to be prepared for what is to come. We will teach you the skills you need to defend yourself."

"And the skills to handle the technology you will encounter as you meet alien species with more advanced technology than what we had developed on our own on Earth," the Dr. Breifs simulation explained.

"You will teach me how to fight?" Bulma asked

The simulation of General Panchy Briefs laughed, "So much more than that. You will learn strategy, weaponry, and tactics. Beyond my own personal knowledge, the pod has everything from Sun Tsu's teachings, Mao Zedong, Miyamoto Musashi, Rommel... Earth's greatest tacticians to teach you all about waging war and winning it."

"You will also learn the teachings of Plato, Aristotle, Archimedes, Galileo... and modern scientists like Edison, Newton, and Einstein." The Dr. Briefs simulation explained. "You will be the vessel of all human knowledge, and you will use it to save humanity from extinction."

The small blue-haired girl sat back, absorbing everything the simulation fed to her brain. The ache in her chest started to ease, as she allowed the simulations to subconsciously replace her dead parents. It was far easier to accept them as her parents than to accept the reality that she was alone in the universe.

"Princess," Panchy said, "I know this is a lot to put on you. The weight of the world is literally on your shoulders. Beyond the fact that we need to ask this of you, we know you can do this." The Panchy simulation smiled at the Dr. Breifs simulation, "You are the daughter of a genius, the most brilliant mind on Earth, and possibly the universe."

The Dr. Breifs simulation smiled at Panchy, "And the daughter of the bravest, most courageous fighter on Earth. You have an inner strength that is surpassed by none. We know you can do this."

Bulma resigned herself to her fate. Even at her tender age, her mind was far more developed than the average human child. She could do this. She would do this. For the sake of humanity, for the sake of the Earth and all its inhabitants... she would not fail.

"Teach me," the young girl said quietly, "Teach me everything I need to know to save the Earth."

* * *

**Bulma, age 6**

Time lost all sense of meaning in the simulation. The synthetic universe of her mind mirrored that of her life on Earth but perfected. Days remained constant, 14 hours of light followed by 10 hours of synthetic night. The daylight hours spent training and studying with her holographic parents, and 8 hours of induced REM to simulate sleep.

The first morning after 'forced REM', she left her room to follow the scent of bacon and eggs radiating from the kitchen. She saw her mother and father sitting at the breakfast table with plates piled high of bacon, eggs, and pancakes. Mother served her a large portion and sat back as Bulma began to tuck in. She sat for a moment, savoring the taste... the crunchiest, most perfect bacon... the fluffiest, richest eggs she'd ever had... and pancakes so good they should've just been called 'cakes'. She looked at her parents and realized they were just sitting there staring at her, and she gave them a confused look.

"Aren't you hungry?" Bulma asked.

Mother and Father looked at each other, when Bulma remembered, _Oh. That's right._

"You don't need to eat, because you're not real," Bulma said. "None of this is real. Not the bacon, not the kitchen... nothing is real."

"You are real," Mother said.

"It will take time to get adjusted," Father said. "There really is quite a lot for you to learn. The system was designed specifically with you in its focus, it is custom tailored to challenge you and make you stronger."

"Both physically," Mother interjected. "And mentally."

The first week of her journey, she had mastered the downloaded curriculum up to 1st grade. Some days she trained with Mother after 'breakfast', and some mornings were spent in the lab with her father. Both took alternating turns with subjects: Mother was programmed using Panchy's own personality, while Father was programmed with Trunks'. Father taught the sciences, as well as reading, writing, and mathematics. Panchy taught history, which she tied in with her other subjects: Warfare and Tactics. Bulma almost forgot that this simulation wasn't her actual mother when she would drop helpful quotes from history: 

“The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting.”

“Move swift as the Wind and closely-formed as the Wood. Attack like the Fire and be still as the Mountain.”

“Appear weak when you are strong, and strong when you are weak.”

“If your enemy is secure at all points, be prepared for him. If he is in superior strength, evade him. If your opponent is temperamental, seek to irritate him. Pretend to be weak, that he may grow arrogant. If he is taking his ease, give him no rest. If his forces are united, separate them. If sovereign and subject are in accord, put division between them. Attack him where he is unprepared, appear where you are not expected .” 

“When you surround an army, leave an outlet free. Do not press a desperate foe too hard.”

The two had access to the entirety of humanity's knowledge to train the tiny human, and little time to teach it.

A month after that, she had completed the 2nd-grade curriculum- mastering basics like reading, writing, and mathematics. She wasn't feeling challenged by the mental education, but that more than made up for the challenge of Mother's training. Mother followed Marine Martial Arts training protocols, but after months of hard work, she hadn't even earned her Tan belt! Mother focused on the development of the basics of armed and unarmed combat. She began with the Basic Warrior Stance and break-falls for safety, then moved on to basic punches, uppercuts, and hooks; basic upper-body strikes including the eye gouge, hammer fists, and elbow strikes; basic lower-body strikes including kicks, knee strikes, and stomps. She learned Bayonet techniques, basic chokes, joint locks, and throws; how to counter strikes, chokes, and holds; basic unarmed restraints and armed manipulations; basic knife techniques, and basic weapons of opportunity.

As the months went by, Bulma conquered the curriculum of 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade easily. Father was impressed, but Mother was not. The two argued, Mother asserting that since her mental education required less time to master and therefore more time should be allotted for her subjects, while Father held firm that mental studies should still have equal consideration with physical studies.

To resolve the argument, Bulma suggested they try Mother's advice but with a twist. Instead of just cutting the time reserved, they resolved that when Bulma completed her studies with Father for the day, the remainder would be spent training with Mother.

It worked.

While she didn't progress at a faster rate, the additional time allotted allowed her to progress more over the same amount of time. 

Finally, after months and months of training, Mother and Father held a ceremony and Bulma earned her Tan belt.

She was getting stronger, she could feel it. 

* * *

**Bulma, Age 7**

After getting her Tan belt, Mother didn't ease up, immediately transitioning into the next level of martial arts training. She expanded the basic knowledge Bulma had acquired with intermediate bayonet techniques; intermediate upper-body strikes including karate chops and elbow strikes; intermediate lower-body strikes including kicks, knee strikes, and stomps; intermediate chokes, joint locks, and throws, counters to strikes, chokes, and holds; intermediate unarmed restraints and arm/wrist manipulations; intermediate knife techniques; basic ground fighting; intermediate weapons of opportunity; and different kinds of slashes.

Despite her continuing struggle to master martial arts, Bulma progressed through Father's training with ease. As her vocabulary grew she began to use words like "infantile", and "plebian" to describe his curriculum.

The harder she pushed Father and Mother's training, the harder they pushed back.

Her artificial parents bickered over her training, with her artificial father cutting the training with her artificial mother short when the girl collapsed in exhaustion.

"Again! Get up! The savior of Earth can't give up!" Mother shouted sternly, blue eyes flashing with anger and wisps of blonde curls escaping the braid that kept the rest of her mane contained.

The girl sobbed from her prone position on the ground of the training room. Every muscle ached, hands covered with blisters from the staff she's been training with. She felt a hand smoothing her hair and looked up to see the dark eyes of Father.

"That's enough," he said gently. "I think it's time to work on other 'muscles' now."

Bulma gave him a confused look at they made their way from the garden to the kitchen, where a large cake sat on the counter. It was gigantic, a three-tiered behemoth topped with butter-cream frosting, strawberries, and chocolate drizzle. There was a banner with "CONGRATULATIONS!" scrawled elegantly across it, and Bulma tried to make sense of what was happening.

"What's going on?" she asked.

"You've accomplished several milestones since this journey began," Father began. 

"And we felt it was time to acknowledge these milestones, to remind you of your purpose," Mother concluded.

Bulma smiled, taking pride in her success, but unsure of what specific successes they wanted to note, "Accomplishments?"

"You have completed the curriculum through grade 12, and by Earth standards you've graduated from high school," Father announced proudly. "Your mother and I hadn't even finished middle school by your age."

"By my age?" Bulma asked. They had been here so long, she'd forgotten. She had been 5 years old when she had left Earth and hadn't bothered counting the days since she'd left.

"According to the ship's calendar, today is your 7th birthday," Mother replied.

2 years? Had it really been two whole years? had it ONLY been two whole years? She didn't feel any different, but at the same time, she felt completely different. She wasn't the same little girl in pig-tails smiling over an over-sized pink frosted cake... but she was.

"I have a gift for you," Mother announced, producing a small box in light blue wrapping paper.

Bulma considered the inconsequential nature of a virtual gift for the briefest of moments before opening it and peering quizzically at Mother.

"Congratulations on earning your Gray belt," Mother announced with a proud grin.

Bulma jumped in the air with a loud cheer as she draped the belt over her shoulders. She felt invincible! She was far smarter than her parents, and even where she struggled she was still succeeding and making progress. She watched as Mother and Father cut the cake and served healthy portions for Bulma and then themselves. She contemplated the fact that they had no need to eat, but had altered their programming to mimic her and make her more at ease. She always noticed little things that made her realize... this wasn't Mom and Dad. She pushed these thoughts aside, they served no purpose and achieved no goal. That line of thinking only led to fear and pain, and it was pointless.

"So," Bulma asked between bites of cake, "How far are we from Namek?"

Father hesitated, calculating, "Namek was 24 light years from Earth, and at our current speed it will take approximately 57 months to get there."

"Five years?!?" Bulma screeched.

"Approximately," Father noted.

"And how long have we already been traveling?" Bulma asked, setting aside her cake.

"2 years, 3 months, 3 weeks, 2 days and 7 hours," Father noted. "Approximately."

Bulma momentarily considered the numbers given to her, "So, we're just shy of halfway there?"

"Yes," Father confirmed.

Bulma sighed, "That's a long time... and it's hard to tell the passing of time in this place." She looked around the virtual room and thought about the hazy, dream-like quality of the simulation. "We should have more celebrations like this," she determined.

Father and Mother smiled.

"To track time, of course," Bulma said, before going back to the plate of cake and continuing to devour it. 

* * *

**Bulma, Age 8**

Thus her days passed, Mother training the young girl in the mornings with Father ending the training when the girl had obviously reached her limits. As her knowledge expanded, she realized that the meals she ate weren't real, but nutrition provided to her sleeping body from the pod that contained it. The pain she felt during the 'physical' training with her 'mother' caused no real damage to her physical body. The virtual training taught her muscle memory, while her actual muscles languished in a pod hurtling through the universe at the speed of light. Her mind absorbed the knowledge imparted to her by her synthetic father's teachings far more easily than the martial arts taught by her mother. She struggled with the physical aspects of her mother's training, but the technical aspects came easily. Her precision with projectile weapons was phenomenal, progressing from spears, slings, arrows, and finally high powered projectile weaponry and laser weapons. Theories from the greatest of Earth's war tacticians were immediately understood and applied.

Though it took time, eventually the young girl's skills became innate.

She earned her Green belt in 6 months, having mastered intermediate knife techniques, weapons of opportunity techniques, ground fighting with arm locks, bayonet training, chokes from the side, and over the shoulder throws. Mother also taught her lower body strikes and how to counter strikes, taking great pride in her success in Unarmed Joint Manipulations with Enhanced Pain Compliance.

Between battle sessions, Father and Bulma poured over the database they had downloaded from the alien fleet, updating the basic star map they had with the detailed map provided by the Planetary Trade Organization, the Empire the aliens Zarbon and Dodoria fought for.

Another 6 months after that and she had earned her Brown belt, mastering advanced bayonet techniques, ground fighting and chokes, advanced throws, unarmed vs. handheld weapons, firearm retention, firearm disarmament, and advanced knife techniques. They'd held another birthday party to mark the passage of time and celebrate her attaining a new martial arts rank. 

Battles with her artificial mother went from heavy defeats to deftly fought standstills. Scientific theories taught by her synthetic father were understood and even perfected, designs of her father's inventions were perfected in the virtual reality and applied to the pod's software in real time. The pair had begun working on a theory to make 'Instant Transmission' possible as space travel. Bulma hypothesized that if one had the necessary coordinates, space-time could be folded, allowing the vessel to move across the galaxy, even to different galaxies, instantly.

 They discussed theoretical science like String Theory, Multiverse Theories, as well as ways to make stronger metals, limitless energy, and many other theories Trunks had been working on before 'the incident', as Bulma had begun to numbly call the obliteration of Earth.

Time flitted on as the ship got ever closer to Namek.

* * *

**Bulma, Age 9**  

"I'm BORED!" Bulma groaned.

"Bored?" Panchy asked, avoiding the blow and grabbing Bulma's wrist to throw her over her shoulder.

Bulma rolled with the toss and elegantly sprung to her feet, "Yes. BORED." She punctuated each word with another punch, "I've mastered advanced ground fighting." She demonstrated her knowledge as she spoke, "advanced upper-body strikes and smashes..."

She went for Mother's hands to grapple with her, "and even pressure points," she said as she went for the points she had learned and immobilized Mother who lay on the ground gasping and groaning in pain.

She stood panting over Mother for a few moments, "I've even mastered basic counter firearm techniques, advanced knife techniques, use of improvised weapons."

Mother stared up at her, "You're not ready for rifle training."

"I AM!" Bulma shouted indignantly. She kicked at the virtual grass, "It's the same thing every day, day in and day out... I feel like I'm going crazy! Same thing, every day... over and over and over!" She had lost track of how long she had been in the synthetic world in her own mind, "How long has it been since my last birthday, even! Weeks? Months? Every day almost exactly the same!"

Suddenly, Mother's eyes turned a glowing red and Bulma heard the long-forgotten voice of the pod's computer come from her mouth.

"Proximity alert, gravitational field detected. Manual navigation required. Cryo-sleep will be deactivated in 60 seconds to avoid critical system failure."

Mother's eyes returned to their original color when suddenly Father appeared and Bulma shot questions at them rapidly. "Have we arrived at Namek? What's going on?"

"We don't know," Father replied, "My calculations couldn't have been off. We're still 18 months from Namek! It could be a black hole, a planet, an asteroid, meteor field, a wormhole... We won't know until you've had a chance to observe."

As suddenly as the pod invaded her comfortable virtual world with an alert, the reality melted to darkness and was replaced by the blurry vision of the inside of the pod. Red lights flashed, and the pod's computer repeatedly alerted "Warning! Gravitational field detected!"

With sudden innate clarity, her suddenly too large hands moved almost of their own volition. A map of her current vector in space showed on the translucent screen in front of her.

"Computer, why aren't we moving? What happened?" Bulma asked.

"Our flight path did not account for one of the stars going supernova. We were within the blast radius when it blew," the computer replied. "It knocked out the hyperdrive and caused substantial damage. The awakening procedure took an unfortunately long period of time to complete, and we could not make way without a pilot manually helming the controls."

"How long have I been a sitting duck?" Bulma asked aloud.

"The pod has been stationary for approximately 7 Earth hours," the computer replied.

"Seven hours?!?!" _Anyone could be closing in on my position while I sit here!_ "Computer, how far are we from the nearest PTO controlled planet?" Bulma asked.

"The nearest PTO outpost is on Planet Meat," the computer said.

"Meat?" Bulma asked

"There may be an error in translation," the computer admitted.

"We are less than a light year from the installation, but according to the ship specifications..."

Bulma tapped on the screen and the first thing she noticed was a small fleet of warships following her pod.

 _So they weren't destroyed with the planet_ , Bulma thought to herself. "They're here! They must have figured out a way to track me before I escaped Earth!"

 _“In the midst of chaos, there is also opportunity”_ She heard her mother say.

With stunning speed, her mind took in the situation around her. There were no planets nor stars to hide with, but a distortion in space showed on the map.

"Computer, show me the distortion," she called.

As the computer brought up a view of the anomaly, beams of light shot past the porthole.

 _They're firing at me_ , she thought to herself as she flipped the navigational systems into manual and mentally calculated the angles needed to avoid the laser-like projectiles attempting to destroy her pod. She considered her teachings and looked for an escape route.

"Computer, what is that anomaly?" she inquired.

"Likelihood of a wormhole entrance 88%," the computer replied.

_A chance to escape!_

"Where will the wormhole empty?" She asked.

"Unknown," the computer replied.

"Doesn't really matter, does it? I don't have much of a choice," she said to herself as she manually redirected her tiny ship towards the anomaly that was suddenly ripping a hole in space. She turned the pod to head directly towards the swirling nebulousness, as the pod approached the wormhole entrance formed and Bulma made way. She had nimbly avoided the lasers, but the torpedo barrage had sophisticated enough targetting systems that one managed to follow her through the wormhole before the entrance collapsed into the nebula again. The computer alarms roared to life again, red lights flashing while the computer listed off damage to the ship.

"WILL YOU SHUT UP AND GIVE ME A SECOND TO ASSESS OUR DAMAGE?!?" Bulma screamed.

"Shields at 18%, Hull integrity at 88%. Critical damage to the hyperdrive, engines currently inoperable. Minimal damage to life support."

"Critical damage to hyperdrive? How critical?" Bulma asked urgently.

"Hyperdrive has taken extensive damage and will take a minimum of 78 hours to be fully operational again. Sub-lightspeed and thrusters are still available," the computer replied.

"Have the nano-bots begin repairs to hyperdrive, maintain current speed to put as much distance between us and them as possible. Now, minimal damage to life support?" Bulma asked.

"The air detoxification system took damage and needs repair," the computer replied.

Her time studying in her virtual school left her knowing exactly the repairs that needed to be done, and the problems that came with it. Like needing to do the repairs from the outside of the pod, and an atmosphere to work in. It wasn't a quick, easy fix she could do from inside a space pod hurtling across the galaxy via a wormhole short-cut.

Her train of thought was distracted as the nebulous space that she was traveling through took the same shimmering ethereal quality that it had taken when the wormhole originally opened. Like fog suddenly burning off, the wormhole ripped back open into space and Bulma shot through it at top speed.

No sooner than her craft popped into normal space, the wormhole evaporated again, and the young girl found herself with a new set of problems as warning alarms started flashing anew.

Bulma sighed in frustration, "What is it NOW?"

"Gravitational field proximity warning," the computer began.

"And we don't have the thrust to pull away from the star that's pulling us in..." Bulma postulated.

"Correct," the computer answered.

"Engage full manual control," Bulma said as the manual controls ejected from the wall of the pod in front of her. "Mom did always say to face my problems head-on," the pod suddenly rotated 180 degrees, headed straight into the heart of the star. "And dad," she grunted, "taught me that the gravitational pull of stars can..." she groaned as the controlled tried to pull free. "be used like a slingshot."

The tiny craft skimmed the corona of the star, picking up speed as it darted around flares and cleared the far side of the star and shot out into the system. A small rocky planet shot past her viewscreen as the tiny craft was propelled deeper into the star's system.

"Computer, is there an M class planet in this system?" Bulma grunted, trying to maintain proper alignment to avoid the planetary bodies that she was hurtling towards.

"The 6th planet from this system's star, however, it is larger in diameter than Earth, with a denser atmosphere," the pod answered.

"Fine, plot course for the planet," Bulma directed.

"Autopilot inoperable," the computer informed. "Displaying course."

Bulma groaned, realizing that she must have shorted out the circuits in her daring escape, leaving the controls stuck in manual. Two more planets zoomed past when Bulma started pulling back on the speed. As the pod shot past another planet, Bulma's target came into sight. The large planet didn't have vast blue oceans like Earth. Instead of being the familiar blue and green of Earth's surface, this planet shone like a red ruby set on a black satin sheet studded with diamonds. As the planet came into view, Bulma realized the planet had one large satellite similar to Earth's moon, and two smaller rocky satellites orbiting at varying speeds.

 

She manually calculated the angle needed as she entered the atmosphere, holding her breath as the dense atmosphere and high planetary gravity put pressure on her body.

"Shields down to 12%," the pod announced.

"Engage Emergency Depressurization Helmet and divert all power to maintaining the shields!" Bulma yelled. The helmet began to unfurl from the metal collar of her space suit as the computer disabled life support functions, diverting the power to navigation, shields, and remaining engines.

As the planet's surface shot by, Bulma looked for a suitable place to bring the pod down. She shot over a large arid continent with a sprawling desert flanked by jagged mountain peaks, immediately followed by lush rainforests of varying shades of red, pink, and magenta. At the edge of the forest, nestled in the sharp mountain peaks where a dark green ocean met the shore, lay a sprawling metropolis with shining spires sparkling in the waning hours of twilight. Bulma's mouth gaped in wonder at the alien city before she scoffed to herself ' _I don't think my entry will go unnoticed'_.

Onward her craft flew, streaking across the red sky when Bulma spotted the perfect place to land. An archipelago with active volcanoes, Bulma developed a plan, "Computer, pulse shields to brace for impact!"

As the pod skipped like a stone across the ocean, Bulma steered for the lava flow she'd spotted on the edge of the largest island in the chain. Knowing that her momentum hadn't decreased enough, she used the magma as a cushion, the soft rock slowing down her craft abruptly, battering the passenger against the inside of the pod as Bulma's restraints failed. She struggled to maintain consciousness as the craft skidded through the magma field and hurtled towards the forest beyond, scraping an elongated crater as it finally came to a halt. Sparks flew as the pod's computer began shorting out and descended into darkness, with her only illumination being the round porthole of the pod.

The pod gave a metallic groan as the door to the craft was suddenly ripped off and the light of a strange new star flooded the space Bulma occupied during her 4-year trek through the stars. The last thing she saw before her vision faded to black were two spiky-haired silhouettes blocking the light from the door.

"<I told you it wasn't a meteor!>"


	6. The Ties That Bind

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Noted, GIFs work.  
> Ok, so... sorry not sorry, 6700 word chapter... But Grammarly says it should only take half an hour to read.  
> Enjoy fluffy Saiyan love.  
> Fluffy, not smutty.

 

"<Are you really going to wear your armor? I think it's a bad idea>," the slightly younger but slightly taller boy said.

The younger, shorter, boy replied, "<Oh really?>" with a sneer.

"<Yeah, it's going to be hot and uncomfortable, besides, anyone would recognize your royal armor... and we don't want anyone to know>," the first boy replied.

The smaller boy groaned in acknowledgment and shed his armor, leaving it by the back door of the home before the two young Saiyans went exploring the forest on the side of the island that was growing from a constant volcanic eruption.

"<Kakarot, how much further to the lava fields?>" the shorter boy asked, his ebony hair shooting up like a black flame from his head, tossing his pack over his shoulder as they left the modest home in the far east isles of Vegetasei's large continent.

"<Through the meadow, over the river, and through the forest, not much further past that, Vegeta>," the slightly taller boy replied, a smile on his face. "<I started seeing these stones a few days ago, and I knew you'd want to make something for your mother, too!>"

"<Well, 'The Day of Saiyan Matriarchs' is coming and I need a gift>," Vegeta replied, his brow furrowing into a stern glare. "<After you got my allowance cut for that stunt at the palace training grounds, I realized I would have to actually make a gift this year, instead of just buying one>."

Kakarot laughed, two Minor Moon Cycles ago they had been sparring in the palace training grounds while his father conferred with Vegeta's father, the King. The boys' fight had escalated to the point of ki blasts. Kakarot had dodged Vegeta's new attack, Gallic Gun, to the ire of his Majesty himself, who had come immediately to survey the rampant destruction at the hands of two cubs who hadn't seen their first Great Ape Moon. The result was Kakarot's banishment from the palace unless his elder brother Raditz was there to act as his personal warden. After several weeks of pleading boredom to his mother and father, the Queen relented and allowed her son a rare vacation from his training.

As they flew over the river and began their journey over the forest, they heard a loud boom and saw a disturbance skidding across the ocean's surface.

"<I bet it's a meteor full of gems! Dibs on the prettiest ones!>" Kakarot called as he raced to the crater where the interstellar object landed.

"<I doubt it, but... Not if I get there first!>" Vegeta replied with a chuckle as he shot past his companion.

The duo landed, following the shallow crater that carved through the ground before coming to a rest several hundred yards past the lava flow by the edge of the forest. As Kakarot finally caught up to his companion, he gasped at the perfectly round, white sphere that appeared to be neatly tucked under the dark maroon soil. 

"<What is it?>" Kakarot asked.

Vegeta noticed a circular hole in the surface of the sphere and recognized the spark of electrical components shorting out. As he came closer, he was able to spot the edges of the door that sealed the sphere closed and wedge his fingers into the seam. He started to pull at the seam, as the rest of the door became visible and parts where the metal had welded itself together somewhere between impact with the atmosphere, the magma, or the ground when it finally stopped. As he looked up at Kakarot, he saw that he had gone to the opposite corner to help pry the door the rest of the way off. As the door was ripped off its hinges, the boys gaped at the small figure partially strapped within what Prince Vegeta suddenly realized was a spacecraft.

"<I told you it wasn't a meteor!>" Vegeta replied.

The boys stared curiously at the tiny figure partially strapped into the seat of the pod, confused by the shiny outfit that sealed the being within. The round dome at the top appeared to be a kind of helmet, but they were unable to see within as the mask that covered the creature's face was reflective and only showed themselves. As the two boys stood there astonished and unable to figure out what to do next, they noticed a change in the lava flow's current, following the crater the craft had made.

"<Whoever this is, Father will want to know what they're doing on our planet>," Vegeta rationalized. "<Let's take this craft back to your house and contact my parents before the lava destroys it. They'll know what to do with the prisoner.>"

"<Oh Vegeta, they didn't do anything wrong yet! That didn't exactly look like a planned landing>," Kakarot said, lifting one side of the pod.

"Tch," Vegeta scoffed back, hefting the opposite side of the pod on his shoulders, snatching the pod door by the inside handle with his tail.

The duo struggled to retrieve the pod but managed to get back to Kakarot's home. When they arrived, Kakarot's mother was frantic. Her usually kind face contorted with rage, her tail bristling and swishing angrily behind her.

"<You foolish boys! Where have you been! Why didn't you come back immediately after that explosion?!? Queen Sabi is on her way here right now because you foolish cubs didn't even have the sense to bring your SCOUTERS in case something happened... LIKE AN EXPLOSION NEAR THE VOLCANO!>" Gine ranted as she threw both boys' scouters at them.

The boys gently placed the pod they found on the ground and bowed in supplication for their mistake.

"<I'm sorry, Mother. We were out searching for pretty stones to make gifts for 'The Day of Saiyan Matriarchs' when we saw this pod skip along the ocean and skid through the lava>," Kakarot explained, trembling under his mother's fury.

"<We retrieved the ship and the prisoner to bring to my parents for questioning>," Vegeta replied.

Gine looked up to the sky just in time to see Queen Sabi's personal cruiser landing in the meadow near the house. She turned back to the boys, who managed to somehow look sheepish to face the ire of the Queen of all Saiyans. "<It seems the opportunity to do so has arrived>," Gine informed them as she crossed her arms.

No sooner had the craft landed than Queen Sabi flew like a rocket to her son's side, "<Are you hurt? Were you injured in the explosion>?!?" she quickly asked as she examined her son for injuries.

Vegeta flushed a deep crimson at his mother's coddling, all the way to the roots of his hair, "<No, mother, I am fine. But...>"

The concerned look that appeared on the verge of tears evaporated as Sabi drew her hand back and slapped her son hard enough to wipe the blush from his face and replace it with a throbbing red palm print. "<Foolish cub! You never think! You dart off into the wilds and you don't even have the sense to bring a SCOUTER? What were you thinking? You weren't thinking, that's the problem! If you'd been on a mission would you have left your scouter behind as you hunted for food? No! You'd be DEAD!" Sabi paused her tirade to catch her breath and glared at her eldest son kneeling before her. "<What if it had been an invader? Or one of Frieza's spies? The two of you could've been flayed alive and none of us would be the wiser!>"

"<We don't know if it's a spy or an invader yet>," Kakarot interrupted.

Queen Sabi shot a glare to the boy that made him shiver and coil his tail more tightly around his waist. "<What?>"

The boys pointed to the beaten pod they had retrieved and began their explanation of what had happened. Queen Sabi went to investigate the strange sphere when Gine stopped her.

"<Your Highness, it could be a trap, let me>," Gine insisted as she climbed into the small pod. Her instincts told her she had nothing to fear from the unconscious form strapped in the seat of the pod. She unbuckled the straps and hauled the form out to observe it. It appeared to be similar in size and shape to a Saiyan, not much smaller than the Prince and her own son. There was no telling what was sealed inside until the helmet could be removed, so GIne searched along the collar until her nimble fingers discovered a hidden button and the helmet unfurled and stowed itself in the metallic collar.

There was a collective gasp as blue curls cascaded to the ground and Gine whispered, "<It's a child!>"

Queen Sabi darted over to investigate for herself, "<A female! She can't be older than Tarble! Why is a child in a space pod? Where are her parents??"

Kakarot and Vegeta caught a glimpse of the curly blue hair on the ground and each moved to get a better look at the being from space. Kakarot's eyes widened in wonder as he observed the girl from space, while Vegeta's narrowed in suspicion.

"<She can't possibly be Saiyan, not with that coloring>," Gine commented.

They began searching for a way to remove the strange garment the child wore, finding a zipper and pulling it down to reveal another strange garment beneath. The seams of the garment the child wore appeared to have split like she outgrew it while wearing it. _Had she been in some kind of stasis? For how long?_

"<And her skin... I've never seen skin so pale and unblemished. It's like she's never seen the sun! Never seen any kind of battle! You can almost see the blood vessels>," Queen Sabi marveled as she gently touched the girl's neck. "<She's breathing, and she has a pulse>," she continued examining the girl, checking for broken bones and contusions.

The group let out a collective gasp as the girl groaned, silence overcoming them as the girl's eyelids fluttered open and blinked repeatedly. As glacier blue eyes tried to focus in the bright sunlight, Gine and Queen Sabi let out a gasp and looked at each other.

"Gine... <that blue hair... those blue eyes... is she one of the Super Saiyan Gods of legend>?" Queen Sabi whispered.

Gine clicked her scouter to scan the child, whose unfocused eyes rolled around lazily, seemingly unable to take in the world around her.

"<She's definitely not a Saiyan, she has a power level of 5>!" Gine said.

The moment Bulma came to, she noticed the strange females hovering closely over her and let out an ear-piercing scream that had the Saiyans covering their sensitive ears.

The four Saiyans' ki spiked in response to the auditory assault, and their glow only made the tiny Earthling screech louder.

"<Make her stop>!" Vegeta yelled angrily.

Terrified, Bulma scrambled towards the pod, associating it with safety and not thinking about how she could possibly escape with the hatch torn completely from the pod. She made it a few steps before tripping over her too long legs, landing face first in the dirt next to Kakarot and Vegeta's abandoned scouters.

Kakarot let out a childish laugh at the Earthling's expense, "<I dunno where she thinks she's going to go in that thing, it probably can't even fly>!"

Bulma pushed herself up, spotting the scouter in front of her face as a memory flashed through her mind... _The aliens who invaded Earth wore similar technology! Were these aliens part of the PTO? What do I do?_

Her mother's voice echoed Sun Tzu's teachings in her head, “Engage people with what they expect; it is what they are able to discern and confirms their projections. It settles them into predictable patterns of response, occupying their minds while you wait for the extraordinary moment — that which they cannot anticipate.” 

While the aliens were distracted in the confusion, she palmed one of the devices and placed it in one of her space suit's pockets. She scooted over to the base of the pod, wrapping her arms around her knees in an attempt to make herself seem as small as possible and trying to stifle her fearful sobs as she tucked her face between her knees.

Once the screaming had ceased, the female Saiyans looked at each other in surprise. They were not expecting such a reaction, Saiyans do not openly show fear.

"<The poor thing's terrified>," Queen Sabi said softly. "Gine..." 

Knowing Gine's expertise with handling Saiyan children and animals, Queen Sabi allowed her to take the lead in interacting with the strange blue-haired girl.

Gine let out a soothing purr as she crouched and approached the trembling child slowly, her tail swishing calmly behind her, "<It's ok, no one is going to hurt you>." She continued speaking in a comforting voice, "<See? You're fine, and everything is going to be ok>." She reached over and gently ran her hand over the girl's blue hair soothingly.

Bulma looked up at the female and observed her silently, her large dark brown eyes were almost black, with small flecks of brown in them. Her wild, spiky hair was the same ebony as the others, but her face... there was something about her face... her smile. It was kind. She saw no malice, no evil intent... she seemed honest. While Bulma couldn't make out what she was saying, she was sure that the female wouldn't hurt her.

Gine smiled at the tiny Earthling, smoothing her hair softly while emitting a comforting purr.

Suddenly, a double sonic boom broke the silence, causing Gine to jump back startled as Bulma scrambled into the damaged pod to hide.

"<Mother!>" 

"Gine!"

"<Father!>" Kakarot yelled as he saw his father approach.

"Bardock! Raditz!" Gine called as the pair landed.

Bardock yelled, "<What happened? The king had us come to investigate whatever that was that entered the atmosphere. I felt your ki flare up and thought you were in trouble.>"

Hidden in the safety of her pod and no longer being approached by strange aliens, Bulma pulled the scouter out of her pocket and began to inspect it. She saw how it was placed over the ear, and found its power switch. She began tinkering with the new piece of technology as the aliens conversed outside. She suddenly had a brilliant idea as she closed the compartment back up and attached the scouter to her ear. There was still enough power in the ship to some simple functions, despite the blown fuses and circuits. She used the pod to wirelessly connect to the scouter, uploading a modified version of the program her father used to download the PTO ship that converted all the files on the scouter into English. She smiled to herself as all the controls on the scouter changed from the alien language into something she could read. Her lips curled into a surprised 'o' as she thought to herself _and they say lightning never strikes twice._ She quickly created a new program to scan the alien language and translate it for her. With the remaining space on the scouter's drives, she uploaded her pod's computer interface program and downloaded as much data as she could from the hard drive.

Bulma grinned to herself as she listened to the aliens and words began to flash across the small screen. The female who was kind when she approached her was speaking.

"<What are you going to do with her, highness>?" Gine asked.

Bulma continued, revising the program to speak the translations into the earpiece that had wormed its way into her ear canal, an odd sensation.

"She's our prisoner, we will take her and the ship to the capitol to see my father," a monotonous voice spoke.

"You are not king yet, son," the same monotonous voice said. "And I am the one who decides how to handle this."

A little tweaking to the programming and the monotonous voice began to take on the tone and voice patterns of the speaker, allowing her to identify each of them.

"<With all due respect, Queen Sabi, I don't think bringing the child to the Capitol is a good idea>," Gine offered.

Bulma peered out of the pod to observe the aliens as they continued their conversation as if she either wasn't there or couldn't understand them.

"<She's terrified, and bringing a scared alien to a populated city is dangerous>," Gine continued.

"<We _should_ bring the ship to the Capitol to be studied >," Bardock offered.

Vegeta grunted angrily at being demurred, and Kakarot chuckled quietly at him.

Queen Sabi pinched the bridge of her nose in an attempt to stave off a stress headache that was starting, "<I agree, Bardock. Gine, remove the child from the ship. Boys put the pod in the cargo hold of my ship. The ship goes with us, the girl will stay here with you and Bardock>," Queen Sabi ordered.

Rage flashed across Vegeta's face, having his mother deny him the claim on his prisoner, but common sense dictated that he not voice his protest lest his punishment for today's shenanigans be worse.

Gine made her way gingerly to the pod, trying her best to seem non-threatening as her tail calmly swished behind her. Bulma darted behind the seat of the pod, clutching the satchel of capsules to her chest.

"<Don't be afraid, little one>," Gine cooed gently. "<Are you hungry? I bet you are. When was the last time you ate? You're so thin! All skin and bones>." Gine held her hand out for Bulma to grab, but the little girl clung to the backrest of the seat, refusing to let go.

"<Come on now, it's not that bad. We'll get you something to eat, a nice warm bath, some clothes that fit... you'll feel so much better>," Gine called softly. When her reassuring tone wasn't enough to coax the girl out, Gine purred to her gently as she continued to hold her hand out.

The sound the female made reminded Bulma of her father's black cat, Scratch, and even their alien friend Korin. _Korin was an alien, and he was nice_ , Bulma thought to herself, _and so was Kami. Just because they're aliens, doesn't mean I can't trust them. This one seems nice enough... she seems honest and genuine... and I really am hungry_.

As if answering for her, Bulma's stomach began to growl and Gine chuckled as she smiled at the little girl. Bulma took the offered hand, and as Gine pulled her from the ship Bulma draped the strap of the satchel over her head to cross her chest and reflexively wrapped her arms around Gine's neck.

"Oh!" Gine gasped as the little girl clutched her tightly, and a warm feeling welled up in her chest. She was reminded of all the times her sons had done the same thing, and the motherly bond she felt at their action. She picked the girl up as she barely weighed a thing, her legs wrapping around Gine's waist, clinging tightly with her entire body... almost desperately.

Gine smoothed the girl's blue hair and continued to purr gently, her instincts taking over. _This was an abandoned cub_ , her instincts screamed at her. _No_ , she told herself, _not abandoned- orphaned_. An orphaned cub that needed a mother's reassurance and Gine clutched the girl close, protectively.

Bardock and Raditz gasped and their eyes grew wide as Gine pulled the child from the pod and placed her on her hip. They hadn't been expecting the alien to look so Saiyan, despite her coloring. They all seemed to be observing her so closely, so Bulma hid her face in Gine's wild black locks to avoid their curious glances.

"Gine, Bardock," Queen Sabi said solemnly, "<This female cub has been abandoned>"

"<Orphaned!>" Gine interjected.

Sabi nodded sadly in acknowledgment of the truth in that statement, and continued, "<This orphaned female cub was found on your land, as Saiyan law dictates, this cub is now your responsibility to raise and rear. She is your daughter now, raise her well.>"

Bulma stifled a small gasp at the announcement, glad that at least she wouldn't be a prisoner.

"<Mother! She isn't a Saiyan! Saiyan law doesn't apply to her!>" Vegeta argued.

Sabi grabbed the flame-haired boy by his rather large ear and wrenched him closer, "<Saiyan law applies to all people on our planet, and only to citizens of Vegetasei when they are abroad. I suggest you brush up on your knowledge of our people's laws and history before speaking so ignorantly to your _queen_. >"

Vegeta groaned as she released his ear, rubbing it almost to ensure himself she hadn't wrenched it from his head completely, "<Yes, Mother.>" 

After a few moments, Queen Sabi smacked both Vegeta and Kakarot in the back of the head, drawing a chuckle from Raditz.

"<Well? What are you two waiting for? Load it up, already!>" Queen Sabi demanded, and the boys turned to their task.

Gine turned towards the house to finish their evening meal, and Bulma peered over her shoulder as they went. She noted the large male with spiky hair, face littered with scars and the slightly smaller male standing next to him. She noticed the smaller male in the orange garment looked almost identical to the large male. As she turned her gaze to the smallest male he made eye contact with her and glared. She stuck her tongue out at him in defiance, and the boy's glare broke and became a look of utter shock. _Was she mocking me?_

...

Bulma was inundated with smells as they entered the home, and as Gine took her back to the kitchen, Bulma couldn't decipher the smells. It reminded her of sausage, but also turkey... with a hint of crab. Gine had set Bulma down at the kitchen table and turned to the sink to wash her hands. Bulma watched as Gine removed the scouter and armor she was wearing and left the room only to return a moment later tying an apron on over the bodysuit she wore underneath.

Gine hummed to herself as she went about the kitchen preparing to serve their nightly meal, Bulma observing her quietly. Gine could feel the child's inquisitive gaze as she began placing items on the large table.

"<Pachata>," Gine said as she began placing loaves of bread on the table. She watched as the girl's blue eyebrows raised in curiosity of the food and took it as a positive sign. She noted the girl's behavior, reaching for the scouter and clicking a button on the side before nodding in acceptance of the offered item, yet not reaching out to sample it. _Hmm, better manners than my sons_ , she thought with a chuckle.

Bulma used the scouter's buttons to highlight the caption "Pachata" and the pod's computer spoke in her ear, "A bread-like product from a grain grown in the large grasslands of Vegetasei's western continent."

 _Vegetasei?_ She thought to herself, _that must be the name of this planet._

Bardock and Raditz entered the kitchen and Bulma stifled a smile as Gine ordered them to wash their hands and grab an enormous platter and place it in the center of the table. She began placing greens on the platter before turning to an oven and removing numerous tubers and roasted vegetables that the computer defined for her. Bulma's eyes widened in surprise as Gine opened a set of metal double doors revealing what would've been an industrial-sized rotisserie on Earth. The blood drained from her face at the sight of what Gine removed from the oven, as Kakarot came crashing into the kitchen.

"<Roasted Tarbok!>" he exclaimed, "<My favorite!>"

Gine smacked his hand after setting the roasted beast on the table, and Bulma's face crinkled in disgust as she quickly clicked on the scouter to define the horrific display GIne had just placed on the table.

"Tarbok, an arthropod native to the oceans of Vegetasei. Its chitinous shell is removed before being roasted for its lack of nutritional value," the computer informed her.

"<I didn't make it because it was _your_ favorite >," Gine said as she smiled at Bardock, who smirked back at her. "<Go wash your hands!>

Bulma watched the males grab plates and utensils, well forks, for those seemed to be the only utensils they used. Gine smiled kindly as she set a plate in front of Bulma, ripping a large piece of Pachata for her to eat. The older male that the other two called father tore into the arthropod with his bare hands. Gine went next, ripping off a large chunk of flesh and some of the spindly chitinous legs before the older boy grabbed the entire tail for himself.

"<Awwwm come on Raditz! I want some tail, too!>" Kakarot whined.

The older boy, for he certainly didn't seem much older than the young boy across the table from her, rolled his eyes at the younger one before breaking off a piece of the tail and throwing it at him.

Gine glared at him, "<Stop throwing food!>"

Bulma giggled softly at the sight, and the four Saiyans froze to stare at the child in wonder. Bulma blushed a bright pink and began to demurely munch on the loaf of break provided.

Gine gave Bardock a smile, _maybe she'll be ok_ , she thought to herself. The males began to eat in earnest, and Bulma was reminded of a pack of piranhas devouring an animal in the nature shows she watched before Earth was...

Gine frowned as she watched the little girl's face fall and she pushed the loaf of bread away. Kakarot had noticed, too, and wondered what caused the girl's change in mood. He caught her attention and gave a huge grin, that was returned with a nervous smile of her own. Kakarot reached over, snapping off the front legs of the roast and putting them in his mouth to look like tusks while rolling his eyes at her, causing Bulma to laugh out loud at his antics.

Gine felt a warm sensation flooding her chest at Kakarot taking so well to the newcomer, but couldn't let such behavior go uncorrected, "<Kakarot! Stop playing with your food and eat!>" She turned to Bulma and placed one of the legs on her plate along with a tuber and some smaller roasted vegetables. She eyed the leg suspiciously, unsure of how to eat it- much less if she wanted to!

"<Like this>," Gine demonstrated, biting into the leg of the shell to crack it.

 _Ok then_ , Bulma thought as she attempted to do the same thing. She groaned and held her jaw from the pain of trying to bite through the hard shell. Determined, she tried to snap the leg with both her hands and grunted in frustration at her failure.

Bardock chuckled, reaching over gently to snap the legs in half and show her how to pull the meat from the appendage, "<She's a weak one, eh?>"

Bulma smiled up at him after tasting a piece of leg meat, it tasted similar to crab meat back home.

Raditz sat quietly, while Kakarot spoke up, "<She seems nice, though>."

"<I think what she lacks in physical strength she makes up for in intelligence>," Gine postulated. "<You'll probably end up yelling at her to shut up when I've taught her how to speak.>"

Bulma blushed again and tried to pretend like she didn't understand them. _She's going to teach me_ , Bulma thought with a thrill of excitement. Learning about this new planet would be a wonderful discovery!

"<Intelligent? She's awful mute for being so smart>," Raditz snorted derisively through a mouthful of roasted tubers.

Gine watched as Bulma shot Raditz a glare, that he responded to with a cheeky grin that made Bulma see the similarities between him and his mother.

Bardock chuckled, "<Seems like she's smart enough to understand an insult!>"

"<Don't underestimate her, sometimes it seems as if she understands what we're saying. Watch her when she thinks you're not looking. She's silently observing us all>," Gine noted. "<I think she's done.>"

Bulma had pushed her plate away, having eaten as much as she could but still leaving behind a Saiyan sized serving. Kakarot and Raditz fought over the remains, Bardock chuckled at their antics while Gine reached down and held her hands out for Bulma.

Bulma allowed Gine to pick her up, carrying her like a child to the chambers she shared with Bardock. Bulma sat on the bed in the chamber as Gine opened what was apparently a large wardrobe, and fished out large swaths of fabric. She tried to subtlely click on the item to search for it on her computer, but Gine began tying the clothes to her small frame before she had a chance to.

"<It's the smallest one I have, but I think we can tie it up until we can get you something of your own to wear>," she said.

Gine went to the door of the room that did not lead back to the hall and opened it while beckoning to her, "<Come on then, let's get you cleaned up!>"

Bulma peeked in to realized it was a bathroom! A huge luxurious bath was in the center of the room, that Gine began to fill with hot water and there was some weird hole in the ground that sort of seemed like a sink, and a true sink higher off the ground with a mirror behind it.

 _Oh_! Bulma thought to herself, _I forgot my capsules!_  

"<Hey! Wait! Where are you going?>" Gine called.

She darted back to the kitchen where Bardock, Raditz, and Kakarot paused in their process of cleaning up the table, giving her a strange look as she gingerly picked up her satchel, smiling and waving before turning on her heel. Kakarot and Raditz turned to their father with inquisitive glances, that was returned with a silent but threatening glare as he nodded towards the sink of dirty dishes. She made her way back up the stairs, her legs no longer feeling just a little too long.

"<Now what was that all about?>" Gine asked as Bulma emptied the contents of the satchel. She found the leather case containing the capsules stored for her all those years ago and opened it. Following the colored index, she found the capsule marked "Toiletries" and clicked it before tossing it to the middle of the room in a loud poof.

Gine gasped as a neatly stacked pile of items appeared in a cloud of smoke that quickly evaporated. Soft white robes, slippers, and towels laid beneath toothbrushes, toothpaste, shampoo, conditioner, strawberry body wash and a strangely shaped metallic item. "<How in the name of the Gods did you do that?!?!>" Gine gasped.

Bulma looked up at Gine as a sharp knock sounded on the bathroom door, "<Is everything alright in there? I heard a noise!>" Bardock called.

"<I'm fine! We're fine! Go away!>" Gine called. The females listened for Bardock's retreating footfalls and Gine began inspecting the proffered items. She picked up the body wash and opened it, giving it a good sniff. It had a sweet berry scent like Gine had never smelled before.

"Bodywash," Bulma said quietly.

"Bodywash?" Gine repeated, chuckling as Bulma mimed what was done with the item.

Bulma smiled as she produced the shampoo and conditioner, naming them respectively, and smiling as Gine repeated the words back before demonstrating their use. Gine grabbed the strange metallic object and gave it to Bulma to identify for her.

Bulma grinned as she took the item, "Bath bomb."

Gine's forehead knotted in confusion, so Bulma held the bath bomb up for her to smell. The myriad of scents was pleasant and relaxing, but not overwhelming. As she unwrapped the bath bomb, it was revealed to be two pieces, red and pink, that fit together into the shape of a heart. Bulma wished she could tell Gine the names of all the scents... how the red bomb had high notes of White Honey, Velvet Peach, and Bergamot... with middle tones of Peony, Tobacco Flower, and Dewy Rose... and bottom notes of Tonka Bean, Soft Musk, and Sandalwood. She wished that she could explain that the pink bomb smelled like Carnation, Lilac, and Violet. She just didn't have the vocabulary yet.

Yet, she could demonstrate what was done with it! She walked over to the large tub and smiled at Gine as she dropped the two bombs into the water. The bombs began to fizz and sizzle, making a creamy foam on top of the water while staining the water itself a deep red and pink.

Gine gasped in surprise and grinned at the scents released into the air. _Surely even Sabi did not take baths this luxurious_! She thought to herself with a smirk.

 

Gine swirled her hand through the creamy foam, working the luxurious texture through her fingers before turning off the water. Gine walked over to the strange sink-like hole in the floor and removed her pants, squatting over it. Shock flitted over Bulma's face as she realized, _Oh! It's a toilet!_ She turned her face in embarrassment as Gine kicked a metal button with her foot and water swirled in the bowl, washing away the waste. Gine gestured for Bulma to use the facilities as she removed the remainder of her clothes, but Bulma struggled with hers.

Still clad in her space suit, Gine helped her remove it, and the pair struggled with the garments underneath that had split at the seams as if she'd outgrown them as she wore them. Both females grunted in frustration, and Gine let out a sigh as she ripped the fabric along the seams to release the girl from her textile prison. Bulma flushed in embarrassment as she used the strange toilet, then Gine checked her naked body for injuries. Both females silently observed the similarities in their biology before they entered the warm, soothing water, the only apparent difference being Gine's tail and Bulma's lack of one. Gine chuckled, confusing Bulma's scientific curiosity of her tail as child-like inquisitiveness.

Bulma reached out and gently stroked the soft fur of Gine's tail, watching a shiver creep up her tail and making her body tremble, "<Hey! Stop that! It tickles!>" She flicked her tail from Bulma's grasp and turned to her, speaking slowly and carefully, "<You must never touch another Saiyan's tail without their permission.>"

Bulma nodded in acknowledgment but balked when Gine went to remove the scouter. While Bulma refused to surrender the device for her lack of personal knowledge of the world and what was going on, Gine assumed some sort of strange emotional attachment to the device.

"<Well, I'm sure it will survive a bath. I'm not sure how Prince Vegeta will feel about your attachment to his scouter, though>," Gine chuckled to herself as the pair settled into the warm water.

 _Prince_ _Vegeta_? Bulma wondered. When Gine went beneath the water to drench her hair she reached for the scouter. With a couple of clicks, she had pulled up a data file with the prince's image at the top. _Oh. THAT kid. Jerkface._

Gine came back up, smiling at Bulma before indicating she should do the same. She repeated the action and handed Gine the shampoo so she could wash her hair as the female rambled.

"<It's so nice to have a girl to groom with. Kakarot and Raditz were terrors to groom>," Gine reminisced as she lathered the shampoo in Bulma's hair into a foamy mass. "<I could never get them to hold still longer than it took to get them clean.>" She gently rinsed the suds from Bulma's hair and was passed the 'conditioner'. "<They wouldn't let me work out the tangles like this>," Gine said as she ran her fingers through the silky locks, feeling the girl relax into an almost sleep-like trance. "<Your hair is so soft>," Gine said quietly when she felt the girl tense and wince under her touch.

Gine lifted and parted the hair on the back of her head to find a hidden contusion. That must have been what knocked her out, Gine guessed.

"<I'm sorry, little one>," Gine said.

Bulma smiled in affirmation and forgiveness, passing her the conditioner and reaching for the bath pouf and body wash. Gine helped her lather the conditioner in her hair before repeating the process for herself. While Gine had washed and conditioned her own hair, Bulma had applied the strawberry body wash to the pouf and began scrubbing four years of hyper-sleep from her skin.

Gine had finished washing and rinsing her hair when Bulma passed the pouf and body wash to her. Enchanted by the sweet smell, she scrubbed herself thoroughly with the rich foam. Bulma rinsed the soap from her skin and the conditioner from her hair and noticed her fingers were pruney.

"<Is that normal for your species?>" Gine asked, seeing the child's wrinkled fingertips.

 Bulma nodded and gave a huge yawn.

Gine chuckled, "<Looks like someone had a big day! Tired are we? Let's get ready for bed, then.>" She flipped the switch to drain the tub, and Bulma grabbed one of the fuzzy robes to wear. She wrapped her blue hair up in a towel like a turban and Gine smiled at her... aside from those blue eyes she looked SO Saiyan! She saw the child's face light up as if she had suddenly remembered something before she reached into the drained tub.

It had been so long ago since she had used one of those bath bombs, she had almost forgotten. Mommy liked to order them online because of the special surprise after the bomb had fizzled away. She reached into the tub, finding two plastic orbs sitting near the drain. She turned to Gine and smiled as she popped the first orb open.

Wrapped in metallic foil was a silver ring with a shimmering multicolored stone in the shape of a heart. Gine gasped, the color of the stone resembling the young girl's eyes. Bulma offered the ring to Gine, trying to see if it would fit any of her fingers. Alas, Saiyans seemed to have large knuckles, or at least Gine did, and Bulma frowned. Gine smiled at her before taking the ring and placing it on the middle finger of Bulma's left hand. It was a bit loose, but as she grew she could wear it on a smaller finger.

Bulma popped open the second orb and unwrapped a matching necklace and pendant. She smiled at Gine, who sat there stunned as Bulma reached up to put the necklace on her.

Gine held the pendant delicately in her hands, "<These stones are beautiful! You are such a sweet child.>" Gine hugged her and whispered, "<I don't even know your name.>"

Bulma pulled away from the hug and lowered her gaze as she spoke, "Bulma."

Gine gave her a curious look.

Bulma pointed to Gine, "Gine."

Gine's jaw dropped in shock... _When had the child learned her name??_

Bulma pointed to herself, "Bulma."

When she regained control over her mouth, Gine whispered, "<Your name is Bulma?>"

Bulma's brows furrowed in thought as she clicked on the scouter a couple of times, reprogramming it again, and repeating the translation given to her.

"<My name is Bulma>," she said in Saiyago. "Bulma Briefs."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lemme know if there's any errors, so I can fix 'em!


	7. A Rose By Any Other Name Would Smell As Sweet

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> NSFW CHAPTER!  
> YE HAVE BEEN WARNED!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Since Saiyago is now the established primary language, I won't be using brackets for it anymore. Anything that is NOT Saiyago will appear in brackets.  
> Reading time: appx 23 mins

Gine smiled as her youngest son sat with Bulma reading Saiyan nursery rhymes in his room. He took to her so well, like an older brother. It reminded her of when Kakarot had been the one being read to by his older brother. If her first night on a new planet was scary, Kakarot would be there to help her... or get their parents if they needed help. Tomorrow they will work on an addition to give Bulma her own room, but for tonight she will be fine sharing a room with Kakarot.

She felt the familiar warmth on her back as Bardock wrapped his arms around her waist, nuzzling the crook of her neck and making shivers run up her spine from the tip of her tail.

"You smell different, mate," Bardock gnarled against her skin, nipping gently. "I can't identify it, but it's intoxicating."

Gine chuckled, nudging him off her with her rear, "Because the scents come from Earth."

"Earth?" Bardock asked distractedly, inhaling the intoxicating scent by his mate's ear.

"Yes, that's the name of the planet she came from," Gine sighed, her eyes closing languidly as her mate nuzzled the ticklish spot on her neck.

"Come to bed, smelly Earthling," Bardock said, his eyes dilated with desire.

Gine stifled a chuckle as Bardock picked her up and threw her over his shoulder, stabilizing her with a large hand on her rear, and carrying her to their private quarters. He dropped her on the bed gently, for a Saiyan, and pinned her down with a dominant and demanding kiss.

"By the Gods, that scent is driving me mad!" Bardock growled against her skin as he untied the cloth she had worn after her bath, pulling the fabric down to expose her breasts. "It's sweet but floral," he noted as he licked his way down to a pert pink nipple. "I can't smell myself on you," he whispered against her skin as he took her nipple in his mouth. "I just want to claim you over and over until you smell like me again," he said, releasing her nipple as she gasped.

Bardock suddenly noticed the thin metal chain and sparkling blue stone that hung loosely around her neck. The primal ape within raged at the token, jealousy bubbling up before he could think clearly, "What is this?" He growled angrily.

Gine smiled, gently stroking the jealousy from Bardock's face, "Bulma gave it to me."

Bardock's face twisted in rage, until Gine's soft kiss tamed the wild beast within, "During our bath."

His face relaxed in the realization of who gave her the gift, and he leaned in to explore her mouth with his tongue, gently suckling on her lower lip before tracing a trail to her earlobe. "And how did you find out her name was Bulma?" Bardock asked, seeing if he had distracted her to the point of not being able to form coherent sentences yet.

"It seems that after a single day on our planet, she's already picked up some of our language," Gine gasped. Bardock gently stroked her side with his tail while gently massaging her breasts. "She's so smart..." Gine sighed as Bardock replaced one of his hands with his mouth and slid his free hand down her stomach to gently tease at the folds of her womanhood. "Bardock... I think her family is dead, her whole species... the whole planet had to have been destroyed for her parents to put her in a ship and launch her into space."

"If that's true, it's likely that Frieza and the PTO were behind it," Bardock said, licking a trail down her abdomen, nipping and biting gently as the beast within demanded of him. _Mark. Claim. Mate._

"She's ours now," Gine gasped, her ability to form a complete sentence impaired by the gentle kisses on her lower lips. Her fingers clenched, nails digging into Bardock's scalp as he parted her folds taking a languorous lick of her slit before finding her nub of pleasure and stroking it gently with his tongue. "She's our... responsibility now..." Gine gasped, "it is our duty..." 

She lost her focus as Bardock took her throbbing fleshy nub between his lips and gently slipped a finger into her slick heat.

"Our duty to love and support her like our own!" Gine spat out, trying to focus on her words through the pleasure of her mate's ministrations.

Knowing just how to push his mate over the edge, Bardock slipped a second finger into her trembling sheath to stroke the special spot within that would release her inner beast as well. He gently took her nub in his teeth, pressing gently as her walls fluttered around his digits and he felt her climax. He licked her dewy folds one last time before pinning her down and kissing her deeply. He leaned back to admire the pink flush on her face that crept down her neck to her breasts. _Mine, Mate, Claim._

"I know you have always wanted a daughter," he chuckled softly, "You're getting soft if your affections can be won with a pretty stone and a smile."

Gine grinned devilishly at him, reaching down to stroke his eager shaft as he bit his lower lip to maintain self-control. "Then give me one of my own, Mate," she whispered in his ear before biting the lobe.

Unable to resist the call of his mate's warm depths, he dove in fully, her warm wet folds encased his throbbing shaft and he paused to enjoy the feeling. _Mine. Mate. Mine_. As their tails entwined he felt a sense of completeness, the same sense of wholeness he felt all those years ago when he found her during the Great Ape Moon. Gine gasped as he withdrew, only to plunge deeply again over and over. Bardock set an intense rhythm, intense and desperate, losing himself completely to the inner beast that drove his instincts.

Feeling his climax building, Bardock reached between their sweaty bodies to rub her fleshy pearl of pleasure and felt her peak. As her walls fluttered and twitched around his shaft, he reached his own climax.

Gine cradled him with her hips, pulling him close as she wrapped her legs around his waist and whispered in his ear, "Mine."

Bardock purred back at her, "Yours," he nibbled on her earlobe and whispered back, "Mine."

Running her hands through his hair she smiled, "Yours."

...

The next morning Bulma decided not to question the foods presented to her much, thinking of an Earth analog and pretending she was eating that. Gine prepared a large tureen of mashed grains with cream and berries for the children, and what looked similar to scrambled eggs and sausage for Bardock and Raditz. The elder Saiyans ate quickly and left to report for duty in the Capitol, and Gine turned to the younger pair, "What do you two want to do today?"

Bulma looked to Kakarot for suggestions, and he grinned gleefully, "I'm gonna show her the whole island!"

Gine turned to Bulma, "Is that what you want to do today? Explore?"

After fiddling with her scouter, Bulma replied, "Explore? Yes!"

"I have some errands to run in the Capitol, can I trust you two to stay out of trouble?" Gine asked, glaring at Kakarot.

"Of course, Gine!" Bulma replied quickly.

"It's not you I'm worried about," Gine said quietly.

Kakarot rubbed the back of his head sheepishly and smiled, "I promise I'll try!"

The pair followed Gine out to the yard and waved goodbye as she left, and as Gine's form disappeared into the sky Kakarot turned to Bulma, "Are you ready to explore?"

Bulma smiled, nodding affirmatively before her forehead crinkled in thought, "I can't fly."

"That's ok," Kakarot said as he turned and pointed to his back, "Hop on!"

Bulma climbed on the boy's back, glad he was larger, for it gave her more to cling to when he took off into the sky. She felt his tail wrap around her waist tightly and a chuckle rumble in his chest, but before she could question his behavior he spun into a barrel roll. Her shrieks of fear morphed into laughter as Kakarot closed in on the shore and skimmed the water. She gaped in awe as their reflection shimmered on the surface, being able to see shadows of sea life in its depths. They gained altitude, circling the volcano on the far side of the island before turning back to the shore where Kakarot left Bulma on the shore. He headed out over the water and dipped out of view before returning with what appeared to be a native fish almost as long as he was tall. Bulma went to gather wood to cook the fish, but when she returned Kakarot had already collected his own, started a fire, and had the fish spitted and roasting over it.

She sighed at her ineptitude, before settling down on the beach.

"What was your planet like?" Kakarot asked idly as the fish crackled over the fire.

Bulma paused, considering her words carefully, "It was very... blue. And green. We had big trees. Also big..." She struggled with the right word. "villages? Many people, big buildings..."

"Cities?" Kakarot offered. 

Bulma smiled fondly and nodded, she didn't want to let her mind wander down that sad road and decided to work on her speaking skills, "How you do that?"

Kakarot gave her a puzzled look, "Do what?"

"You fly. You... make fire with your hands... How you do it? Who... taught you?" Bulma struggled.

Kakarot laughed, "Well, I learned how to use ki at The Citadel, but Mom taught me how to fly before that. I think it was one of the first things she taught me."

Bulma's eyes lit up with curiosity, clicking on her scouter and pulling up the files regarding 'The Citadel':

_An educational facility for Saiyan youths, where Saiyan children learn and mature over five years to become adults and take their place in Saiyan society. At age 10 Saiyan children enter The Citadel and after their second year, they are divided into one of three branches of society: Military, Science, or Government. When a Saiyan graduates from The Citadel, they join society in the role they have been molded for based on their aptitude. Students of The Citadel attend for six Minor Moon Cycles a year, with two Minor Moon Cycles of independent training between curricular years._

Bulma was curious, clicking on her scouter for more information: _One Saiyan year is equal to 300 Earth days, divided up into smaller units called Minor Moon Cycles that were about 37 Earth days long and based on the orbit of Vegetasei's lesser moons. Once every eight years, Vegetasei's three moons align during a full moon, marking 'the Great Ape Moon'._

"Hmm," Bulma muttered to herself. "How old are you?"

"I will be eleven years old by the time I return to The Citadel," Kakarot said as he got up and flipped the large fish. "I've finished my first year." He stood, stretching as the fish continued to cook, "It's pretty boring, the only fun part is getting to fight." Kakarot smiled as he threw some punches in the air. "I'm home for the mandatory independent training between years."

"You fight?" Bulma said with a smile as she rose to her feet.

"Yeah, but I'm still learning. My end of year review said my fighting style was like 'a wild animal' that 'lacked the refinement of a skilled Saiyan warrior'," Kakarot grumbled.

 _Finally! A challenge! I wonder how effective Earth martial arts would fare against Saiyan_ , Bulma thought to herself.

"Fight me," Bulma declares.

Kakarot laughs, before looking at Bulma and seeing the seriousness on her face. He rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, "I can't do that, Bulma. I don't wanna hurt ya."

Bulma eyed him curiously and, in her broken and stilted Saiyago, spoke, "You can't control your strength?"

Kakarot furrowed his brow, "I always go all out during sparring sessions."

Bulma smiled, "Maybe you need to focus less on power and work on 'the refined skills of a Saiyan warrior'..." 

Kakarot stood there amazed, no one had explained it quite like that, "So you think if I suppress all my strength and work on my skills, I'll get better?"

Bulma scoffed, rolling her eyes, "Duh!"

She took a battle stance and egged Kakarot on with a tempting wiggle of her fingers.

Kakarot held himself back, using less strength and speed, but was still surprised when Bulma dodged his attack. His punches were wild but predictable, Bulma easily directed the fight and let Kakarot tire himself out before going on the offensive. She gave a feint to her right and Kakarot fell for it, with a powerful spinning roundhouse kick she nailed him right in the chest. Bulma gaped as he went flying a half dozen yards away in the sand, terrified that she had hurt him.

"Kakarot!" she yelled.

He immediately sat up, shaking the sand from his hair, "That was... AWESOME!"

He ran over to her, bouncing with excitement, "How did you do that? Who taught you?"

Bulma smiled softly, "My mom. I wasn't even sure I could do it anymore."

Kakarot smiled, "Why would you think that?"

Bulma frowned, and Kakarot pulled the fish from the flames to cool enough to eat. "I spent many years asleep while traveling through space. I've gotten bigger than I was when I left Earth, but all that time cramped in a tiny ship..."

"I have to admit," Kakarot said. "You might not be strong, but you're a skilled fighter."

Bulma snorted derisively, you have no idea.

...

Gine had come home later that evening with a satchel of child education books to teach Bulma how to read and speak Saiyago. They were baby books that covered inane subjects, and while Bulma appreciated the effort, she would've preferred something with more in-depth explanations of grammar, pronunciation, and syntax. The week progressed, and each day Kakarot would fly her somewhere new and they would spar. Kakarot would catch their lunch and in the afternoon they would return home for lessons with Gine followed by dinner and bed. Kakarot would teach her what he had learned at The Citadel, while Bulma taught him the techniques she learned from her virtual parents. It was peaceful, for the first time in a long time, Bulma really felt like a kid. Like all of Earth wasn't depending on her. Within a week, she had mastered Saiyago and stopped wearing her scouter.

It irritated her to no end that Raditz would pick on her incessantly during dinner. He talked like she wasn't there, and when he did speak to her it was in a simplistic baby talk that she didn't even need the scouter to translate. Being the smallest of the patchwork family, he took to calling her "runt", and it infuriated her to no end. Being called "runt" didn't bother her nearly as much as being treated as if she were stupid.

At the end of the first week, Bulma decided to take an inventory of her capsules and found one marked 'mobile lab'. To assuage the feelings of inferiority, Bulma got to work getting the lab up and running. Gine came to investigate, looking utterly gobsmacked at the high-tech lab in a capsule. Gine said she didn't want the lab to be far from the house, while Bulma explained that it was better to have it further from the house in case of an explosion. While Bulma promised to be careful and that there were many safety measures to prevent such an event.

She had the lab up and running by dinner, complete with wifi connections to mobile devices, and went skipping into the house with pride she hadn't felt since arriving on Vegetasei. Pride that was shattered the moment Raditz opened his big fat mouth.

"The baby came out of her nursery! Mother, I hope you've mashed dinner up to make it easier for the baby to swallow!" Raditz said with a grin on his face as Bulma scowled at him.

"It's a laboratory, not a nursery," Bulma said, trying to sound as elegant and grown-up as possible, which was difficult with her child-like voice.

"Raditz, stop picking on your sister," Gine said.

Raditz frowned, "She is NOT my sister."

Gine quickly smacked her eldest son in the back of the head hard enough to earn entertained snorts from Kakarot and Bulma, "According to Saiyan law, she IS. Unless you're trying to say that you're above the law?"

Raditz said nothing, deciding to stuff his face with food instead of continuing that conversation.

"Besides," Gine said while shooting Bulma a wry smile, "I don't think you want to get on her bad side. I have a feeling her wrath is not a trifle."

With that, Bulma felt like a bolt of lightning hit her. She would show him! She'd teach him not to underestimate Bulma Briefs!

...

The next morning, Raditz woke up roaring in anger. Bulma sat at the kitchen table eating the mashed grains and fruit that Gine always made demurely, acting completely innocent with Kakarot by her side.

He stood there, his pants soaked with urine and a note pinned to his chest written in elegant scrawling Saiyago: "Only babies wet the bed. Better learn to sleep with one eye open."

"I am going to GET you!" Raditz threatened.

Kakarot stood, his face getting serious as Gine came through the laundry room door with a clean basket of sheets.

"Raditz!" Gine said. "You smell disgusting! Did..." She noticed the note pinned to his chest, "Did you PISS yourself? By the Gods! Raditz, you are a grown warrior! You can change your own sheets!" She thrust the basket into his arms, "And don't forget to shower, you smell horrible!'

Bulma and Kakarot began laughing uncontrollably as Gine chided them half-heartedly, "You shouldn't pick on your brother like that."

...

Bulma woke the next morning to find her hair deliberately and intricately knotted to the headboard of her bed. She was knotted to the bed so thoroughly that she couldn't move her head. She twisted desperately, trying to untie herself before finally throwing a pillow at Kakarot and having him get a pair of scissors to cut herself free. Once freed, she found a note in sharp, angular, and masculine Saiyago: "Who's the one that should be sleeping with one eye open, idiot?"

Kakarot was horrified when Bulma hacked away at her hair but was relieved when she explained that it would grow back. He grew concerned and suggested Bulma back off, that this prank war had gone far enough.

"He called me an idiot, Kakarot!" She said, her words dripping with malice, "And NO ONE called Bulma Briefs an idiot!"

...

Raditz slowly drifted from his slumber. He had waited for days for Bulma's retaliation and had slept well in the surety that she had given up on her thoughts of 'one-upping' him. As he slowly stretched, he felt something tangled around his tail and sleepily tried to jerk away from it. Whatever it was remained tied to his tail as a rhythmic clattering across his desk made his eyes shoot open. He sat up, watching as the Bulma's dominoes clattered across the desk in a neat row before dropping off the side of the desk and creating a racket beyond his view. Suddenly a rope shot to the ceiling and went through a pulley.

He sat there in half-awake amazement as the intricate booby trap unfolded, knocking over a multitude of items and making a complete wreck of the room. The racket seemed to make a crescendo as it made its way to the foot of Raditz's bed when suddenly the room went silent. As Raditz went to lean forward and inspect the sudden silence, his vision was blinded in white.

He sat back, wiping the cream from his face as the pie tin clattered to his lap. As the tin flipped over, Raditz saw the familiar script he'd come to recognize as Bulma's handwriting, "Now who looks like an idiot?"

 _I am going to get her!_ Raditz thought to himself.

...

Bulma sleepily made her way to the bathroom she shared with Raditz and Kakarot, rubbing her eyes. She turned the shower on, working up a nice thick steam before turning the heat down. She wanted to shower in the morning today instead of the previous night because Queen Sabi was due to arrive shortly after midday. She wanted to check in with Gine and see how Bulma was doing, and Bulma wanted to make a good impression. She soaked her hair before adding the shampoo and working it up into a thick lather before rinsing it out thoroughly, scrubbing her scalp with her fingers. She closed her eyes as she worked the conditioner into her now shoulder-length tresses, leaving it to soak into her hair before scrubbing herself with her strawberry body wash. She enjoyed the hot water as she rinsed her hair one last time before exiting the shower, wrapping her hair in a turban with her eyes closed to protect them from the droplets running down her face.

She made her way to the room she shared with Kakarot, surprised that he was up and going so early. He preferred to sleep in until almost mid-day, she mused as she made her way to her dresser. On it, she found a note: "What's the matter? Forget how to tell time?" in Raditz' angular script.

Bulma frowned in confusion looking at the clock on the table between hers and Kakarot's beds, the Queen wouldn't be arriving for almost two more hours. She picked up her scouter out of curiosity and the blood drained from her face. According to the scouter's clock, the Queen would be here in less than 10 minutes! He must have reset their clock while she slept! Kakarot probably woke up hungry and didn't even notice.

Bulma scrambled to find her nicest garment. She still didn't like Saiyan clothing, the long strips of cloth intricately knotted to their bodies... it was very awkward and time-consuming to put on. She still had her hair in a towel turban when she heard Queen Sabi's ship landing outside. She raced to the mirror to brush out her hair, and her shriek was heard by the Saiyans outside.

"RADITZ!" Bulma screamed, charging outside to where he stood with the rest of her little patchwork family.

Everyone save Raditz gaped as the girl stomped angrily towards them, her hair transformed from cascading blue curls to perfectly straight black locks. Raditz smirked to himself, the timing couldn't have worked out better. Staining her hair products was supposed to be a prank for that evening, how fortuitous that NOW, of all times, it would come into play. He had simply planned to upset her morning by throwing her off schedule, this... well this was simply icing on the cake of revenge!

Kakarot was the first to spring to action, grabbing Bulma by the waist to keep her from trying to pummel Raditz.

Queen Sabi turned to Gine and Bardock, "It seems the children are adjusting well."

Gine sighed as the trio watched Kakarot, Bulma, and Raditz. "There seems to be a bit of a prank war going on. I've been trying to nip it in the bud before it got to be too much, but it seems like this might come to blows."

Bardock chuckled, and Prince Vegeta made himself known, "He should just let her go, what could she possibly do to Raditz?"

Raditz laughed at her mockingly, "Ha! You almost look like a real Saiyan! Doesn't she, Vegeta?"

Vegeta stopped to really look at the girl. With blue hair she just looked... odd. And those spiraling curls, so un-Saiyan like, were brushed straight. Even the rage on her face looked Saiyan- if it weren't for those blue eyes. He wanted to run his fingers through her hair and know what it felt like to crush the curls that were starting to form with his fingers. He wanted to look into her eyes and really know what shade of blue was there... and how soft her pale skin felt. He felt the blood rushing to his face, and other parts of his anatomy, as hormones began to surge and feelings he wasn't ready to acknowledge started boiling up in his adolescent male body.

"She's just as ugly as ever," Vegeta said flatly.

"Aww, Vegeta, that isn't very nice," Kakarot said, losing focus on what he was doing.

Bulma took the opportunity to stomp on Kakarot's foot, loosening his hold on her enough to break the grapple with a well-placed elbow just under his ribs. Raditz bowled over in laughter at his brother's expense, but he would learn the lesson of letting down one's guard himself.

As Bulma broke free of Kakarot's grip, she executed a spinning roundhouse kick to the side of Raditz' head, sending him sprawling several meters away. Sparring with Kakarot was evidently working out.

Vegeta stood there in awe as the tiny not-Saiyan turned to him with a fury on her face that had his heart pounding, and he wasn't sure if what he was feeling was fear. He stood there, frozen in place as Bulma walked up to him and stared at him.

 _Who did this little punk think he was calling me ugly? I am NOT ugly!_ On Earth, she would be considered... nothing. Because Earth didn't exist anymore. There was no one left who thought she was beautiful. She blinked back tears as she searched the depths of Vegeta's dark eyes, nothing there but a blank look of shock. Rage welling up inside her, she slapped Vegeta so hard her whole hand went numb. She choked back a sob and ran for the lab, locking herself in.

Queen Sabi broke the silence, "She may not be strong, but she is a skilled fighter. I don't think I've seen that move before. Did you teach it to her?"

"No," Gine gasped in astonishment.

"She learned it from her mother," Kakarot said after catching his breath.

"Oh really?" Sabi asked, curious.

"Yeah, Bulma and I spar every morning," Kakarot said, dusting himself off.

"She caught me off-guard," Raditz defended himself.

Bardock let out a throaty laugh, "Everyone gets outsmarted by a 9-year-old in their lives. Sometimes you're the 9-year-old, and sometimes you're not!"

"Does she always run off like that?" Sabi continued as Gine led her inside for refreshments.

"Usually she goes in there to tinker. She's usually such a happy child," Gine commented as they made their way to the kitchen and sat at the table. Raditz, Vegeta, and Kakarot left to explore, saying they still hadn't collected the stones they had initially gone to collect when Bulma first arrived.

"Tinker?" Sabi asked as Gine poured tea for herself.

"Yeah, she was showing me these bracelets she was working on, but I didn't really understand what she was doing. The child is beyond smart, Highness," Gine said seriously. "She reprogrammed the prince's abandoned scouter to her native language and learned how to speak Saiyago."

Queen Sabi's eyebrows arched in surprise, arching higher when Gine informed her that she had done it that first day, mastering the Saiyan language in about a week.

After a few moments of silence, Queen Sabi confessed, "We dismantled the pod."

Bardock's forehead furrowed in seriousness, "And how did that go?"

Sabi's usual stoic mask cracked as she sneered in frustration, "We haven't cracked a single file. Everything is protected and encrypted. Every time we break the code, we find another. We haven't learned anything more than how the Gods damned thing comes apart!"

"Surely someone in your secret science think-tank can crack it," Gine offered lamely.

Sabi groaned, "Not yet, and I'm not sure if ever. Whoever developed this was a genius."

...

The boys had gone down to the beach after collecting their stones, watching the green waves crash on the pink beach.

"Raditz, you need to stop being so mean to Bulma," Kakarot said sternly.

"Pfft, and why should I be afraid of her?" Raditz asked, reclining in the soft pink sand.

Vegeta chuckled, "She sure landed your ass in the dirt, you should be afraid."

Raditz glared at Vegeta, who smirked in return.

"I'm going to talk to Bulma, too," Kakarot announced. "This prank war has to end before someone gets in serious trouble."

Vegeta started laughing uncontrollably, and Kakarot gave him a confused look before he gasped out an answer to his questioning glance, "You being the 'voice of reason' in this is hysterical!"

 ...

The sun had begun to set, and Gine was growing concerned that Bulma hadn't come in from the lab yet for dinner. She sent Kakarot down to get her, and he hurried off so he could be back before everyone else ate it all.

He entered the lab to hear Bulma blaring her strange human music blaring as she huddled over a desk. He didn't understand the words, but the sad tones and Minor chords played made him realize that Bulma had been upset and distracting herself. As the singer began, he thought to himself that he should learn this language from Earth, with as much as he hears Bulma muttering in it to herself he should learn what she's really saying.

< _So ya thought ya might like to go to the show..._  
_To feel the warm thrill of confusion..._  
_That space cadet glow..._ >

Her once black hair was again blue, sparking his curiosity.

"BULMA!" Kakarot shouted over the music.

She jumped and turned down the music, "What?"

"Your hair! How'd you get the dye out?" Kakarot asked.

"I spent a good hour mixing chemicals before I found the right one to remove the dye without destroying my hair," Bulma grumbled without looking up from her task.

"Bulma, come on, dinner is ready. If we don't hurry they'll eat it all and there won't be anything left for us but vegetables," Kakarot whined.

 _Typical Kakarot_ , Bulma sighed, _always thinking with his stomach_.

"I'm busy," she said dismissively.

 

Kakarot wandered over to the desk to see what held her attention so thoroughly. She put down her soldering gun and pulled back her safety goggles. "Whatcha workin' on?" He asked.

"It's a portable holographic device, you can use it to disguise your features," Bulma said with a smile.

Noting his look of confusion, Bulma slipped the metal bangle over her hand onto her wrist and tapped a barely seen button on the inside. A wave of light shimmered out of the bracelet, enveloping her body and making Kakarot blink at its intensity. When he opened his eyes, there stood Bulma, but it wasn't quite Bulma. She was the same height, the same shape, but her colors were different. Her curly blue hair was now a deep shiny black with midnight blue highlights, and her wide eyes were now a dark, almost black, brown. Behind her, a brown holographic tail swished elegantly

"Bulma!" Kakarot gasped, "You're a Saiyan!"

Bulma laughed, "No, it's just a hologram," she explained. She swished her virtual tail near Kakarot, who tried to snatch it up in his hand but only grasped air.

"Well, you should keep it wrapped around your waist so no one figures that part out,"Kakarot said.

Bulma chuckled, "I does more, check this out." She fiddled with the bracelet, and the hologram shifted again- suddenly Gine was standing before him.

"Mom!" Kakarot yelped, jumping back in confusion as Bulma's laughter came from the laughing hologram of his mother. He let out a gasp as the not-Gine fiddled with the metal bracelet and suddenly became a laughing Bardock, with Bulma's laughter coming from his mouth.

There was another shimmer of light and suddenly Raditz was standing there. "I am a big lazy idiot who wets the bed," not-Raditz said in Bulma's voice.

Kakarot doubled over in laughter, the combination of Bulma's voice and what she said coming from Raditz's mouth was too hilarious not to react to.

As the pair caught their breath, Bulma choked out, "It gets even better, check this out." She adjusted the bangle again and suddenly Vegeta was standing there.

"I'm a pompous ass know-it-all!" came Bulma's voice from Vegeta's lips.

Another wave of laughter rolled over the pair, and Kakarot began truly investigating the hologram of Vegeta standing before him.

"Hmm, it won't fool people in person if they know the person you're disguised as," Kakarot noted.

Bulma glared at him defiantly, "Oh it won't?"

"No," Kakarot confirmed. "You still sound like Bulma," he leaned over and sniffed her, "and you still smell like Bulma."

Bulma frowned, _Hmm, that is certainly true. Perhaps the voice of the user can also be disguised? I'd need a voice sampling first. Scents? I suppose I could develop a pheromone blocker to hide my scent... Projects for another day_ , she supposed.

"So... Why, Bulma?" Kakarot asked.

Bulma gave him a confused look, "Why what?"

"Why this? What's it for?" Kakarot said. "I guess I understand the 'Saiyan' setting. If you keep your tail wrapped around your waist, they might not notice that you don't quite smell like a Saiyan... But why Mom and Dad? Why Raditz? For that matter, why Vegeta???"

Bulma smiled smugly, "Because I can. So I did."

Kakarot frowned at her, "Just because you can, doesn't mean you should."

Bulma deactivated her bracelet and returned to her true self, waving her hand at him dismissively, "You won't be saying that when we go down in Saiyan history books with the greatest prank of all time!"

Kakarot's interest was piqued, "Greatest prank of all time?"

Bulma grinned at him, "Yes, and the best part of it all?"

Kakarot raised a curious eyebrow, silently asking for her to answer her own question. She did, by sliding her second bracelet into his arm and turning him into Raditz, before turning herself back into Vegeta.

"If we get caught, Raditz and Vegeta will take the fall for us!" Bulma cackled wildly. "Raditz will rue the day he messed with Bulma Briefs!"

Once her peals of laughter subsided, she turned off the holographic emitters and placed the bracelets in a box and stored them in a desk drawer.

Kakarot's stomach growled and he frowned at her again, "I'm hungry, Bulma. We're not going to go do this right now, are we?"

Bulma chuckled, "No. I still have to figure out how to make the rest of my plan work. I need a few days of planning and research to hammer out the last of the details."

"Good, then let's go eat! I'm starving!" Kakarot whined.

Bulma smiled to herself in satisfaction, they would pay for their insults. Raditz and Vegeta will know that she is not stupid! She is not weak! She is Bulma fucking Briefs and they will learn that she is the strongest, smartest, most beautiful female in the universe- the hard way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, another chapter split. I was going to have the final prank and the fall out from it as part of this chapter, but as it is the chapter's about 6,000 words.  
> So, instead of a 12,000-word chapter, I'm posting it like this so y'all have something to read while I finish up the next chapter... since I've basically got it all in my head.
> 
> Again, please tell me if you notice any errors so I can fix 'em!  
> <3


	8. Summer of Fun: Pranks that backfire

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> When you get to the link, click on it and play it while you read from there.  
> Trust me. :)
> 
> Also, I'm pretty sure y'all can figure out what's lyrics and what's internal monologue even though I used italics for both.
> 
> Reading time: appx 23 minutes.

**Meanwhile:**

****

The insectoid ship pulled out of orbit from PTO base Omega-X3J, having debriefed Lord Frieza on their latest failure. Zarbon had explained that the lone survivor that had slipped from their grasp after the purge of the planet its inhabitants called Earth. Grateful for the lightyears between then, Frieza had fumed at their inadequacies, telling them to find the girl no matter how long it takes. Dodoria had whined like a child, saying "That's gonna take forever!"

Frieza had raged, telling them to stop acting like simpletons and think. Search through the records they had of Earth and find out who the survivor is, and examine planets with species similar to humans. Zarbon had done the calculations quickly, roughly a thousand planets to bring their inquisition to.

And so they went, month after month, year after year, searching for the now identified human: the blue-haired, blue-eyed daughter of Dr. Trunks Briefs and General Panchy Briefs, Bulma.

To every planet, every species, the same threat was given: Surrender the girl or face Frieza's wrath.

They were promised riches beyond measure for turning her in, and pain beyond imagination if they did not.

Planet after planet, and then their opportunity arose: the pod had been located. Immobilized and apparently dead in space, Zarbon and Dodoria had gone to acquire the pod and retrieve their prisoner. When they arrived, however, the human and managed a daring escape through a wormhole, leaving them right back where they'd started.

It hadn't been a total loss, though. If she landed on a planet they had previously interrogated, they would surely turn her in.

Lord Frieza never had to know about their close call...

So, their search continued, the next stop on their list: Vegetasei, home of the Saiyans. 

* * *

Over the next week, Bulma kept to a strict regime. Train and spar with Kakarot in the mornings, eat lunch with him and Gine and spend the rest of the afternoon in her lab plotting her revenge. The first day had been mapping out the Capitol. She had mapped out landmarks: The Palace, The Capitol Building, The Citadel. She mapped out police and military installations, public broadcasting systems, access points where she could ferret her way into the sub-systems that ran the city.

She studied the geography of the Capitol, she had rolled her eyes when she discovered that was the actual name and not just a colloquialism. It sat at the base of the mountains on the western continent and had been a seaport in the centuries before they became a space-faring race. The Capitol proper wrapped and wound its way through the steep mountains that formed a volcanic archipelago, the western-most island being Bulma's new home. She had picked the perfect spot to enact her plan, a secluded outpost where she could access the great city's infrastructure and access their systems that also happened to have an epic view of the city and an easy break for the sea to head home.

The second day, she spent plotting out the prank. She knew exactly what she wanted to do, a prank her mother had told her about when she was little. During a football game, her father had hacked into the sound system to serenade her mother, who was cheering in uniform on the sidelines. She liked the idea, using music to spread her message. However, Frankie Valli and The Four Season's "[Can't Take My Eyes Off of You](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LcJm1pOswfM)" wasn't the message she wanted to convey. She wasn't in love, and there wasn't anyone she wanted to sing for... she wanted the world to know she existed. She wanted the universe to acknowledge her survival, that one tiny human could survive all that she had... and she would change it. There was a small part of her that warred with the idea of letting Vegeta and Raditz take the fall for their plan... HER plan. She could live with it, knowing that Saiyans would be talking about her when they turned to one another and asked, "Hey, do you remember when..."

She listened to music all afternoon, album after album. She flipped past ones that just didn't feel right, going alphabetically through her parent's personal playlists. She had made it all the way through to P before she finally found it. The perfect song. The song that would leave Saiyans talking about her for decades to come. The powerful electric guitar intro made her heart race. It matched her anguished feelings of loss but held a tone of hope for the future. The lyrics... poignant lyrics that none of them would understand. It didn't really matter if they understood in the long run.

The perfect song had been picked, and the target chosen. All that remained was making sure her tech was ready to do its job.

On the third day, Bulma set to work making sure her equipment was ready for the task ahead. She fine-tuned the holographic bracelets and calibrated their ki shields, they weren't planning on a firefight, but Bulma Briefs is nothing if not prepared! She had decided that since Kakarot knew Raditz better and was closer to his size, that it was best to use him as a disguise. She had been examining the hologram of Vegeta, checking for faults, testing the facial expression range, muscle tone, and definition. She hadn't heard Kakarot enter and was startled when he spoke.

"I don't think I've ever seen Vegeta make a face like that," he said.

"What face?" Bulma scowled.

Kakarot laughed, "Now THAT face I've seen him make before! Were you checking out Vegeta's butt?"

"I was not!" Bulma exclaimed, the blood rushing to her cheeks.

"Wow, Bulma, you've done a great job with these holograms, you're blushing! I don't think I've ever seen Vegeta blush before," Kakarot mused.

"I am not blushing, and I was not checking out his butt!" Bulma exclaimed.

Kakarot laughed, "You're denying it pretty hard! You LIKE him!"

"I do not!" Bulma said defiantly, turning off the hologram.

Kakarot's laughter died down, "So, are you ready for dinner?"

"Almost," Bulma said, putting her projects up for the night. "So... are you ready?"

Kakarot sighed, "Yes! I'm STARVING!"

Bulma rolled her eyes, "No, are you ready to get revenge?"

Kakarot smiled, "Oh! Yeah!"

"I have everything all set. We leave tomorrow night for the Capitol, and just before dawn... we strike!" Bulma said, a malicious grin adorning her face as the pair made their way back to the house for dinner.

"I hope Mom made roasted Tarbok again," Kakarot wondered.

Bulma's nose crinkled in disgust, "Ugh, I hope not!"

* * *

 **The Palace, the next morning** :

The sound of boots on polished stone tiles echoed through the halls of the palace as Zarbon and Dodoria made way to the throne room. In typical PTO fashion, they had arrived far too early to be polite. It was a deliberate action, meant to show deference and subservience to Lord Frieza and his officers.

When they arrived, the hall was lined with a full contingent of Saiyan soldiers. Zarbon noted their power levels, unable to determine who the victor would be if a brawl started, while Dodoria gave an evil grin that said he was willing to find out. As they stood before the throne, a door opened to the side and King Vegeta entered, looking far too regal for such an early hour. Behind him trailed Queen Sabi, looking the epitome of perfection in her own royal robes, and Prince Vegeta, who simply looked annoyed to be dragged out of bed so early.

As the royal family entered the hall, the soldiers stood in salute, their coordinated movements echoing ominously in the large chamber. Dodoria couldn't be trusted to speak, Zarbon had told him beforehand. "I am the brains, you are the brawn," he had said, even though they both knew Zarbon could keep pace with Dodoria easily. Dodoria's sole purpose was to stand there and be intimidating and let Zarbon do all the talking.

"Good morning, King Vegeta," Zarbon said, his words dripping with false sweetness. "I am terribly sorry to request such an audience at such an early hour."

The King raised his hand, and with a commanding wave of his hand dismissed the soldiers, whose coordinated footfalls retreated in unison, leaving the royal family alone with Lord Frieza's top generals. It was a sign of submission. Lining the halls with his strongest warriors to show them his strength, and dismissing them to show he had no intention of using that power.

"You are looking well, your Highness," Zarbon said to the King. "As are you, Queen Sabi," Zarbon said with a leering grin. The three Saiyans sneered at him and his mock-sincerity as he continued, "And Prince Vegeta as well! Is Prince Tarble not well enough to attend matters of state?"

"Prince Tarble is still a cub, not having entered The Citadel. He has no reason to attend matters of state," Queen Sabi spoke, the instinct to protect her children raging in her.

"Enough of this nonsense," King Vegeta muttered. "State your business and be gone, Zarbon."

Zarbon gave a stern glare at the King, _insolent, disrespectful monkeys_ , he thought to himself, "Very well then, we will desist with the pleasantries. A number of years ago a prisoner escaped a purged planet the locals called Earth..."

Sabi schooled her features to hide her shock... _They couldn't possibly..._

"The last sighting of the prisoner was approximately one and a half of your Minor Moon Cycles ago," Zarbon noted.

Prince Vegeta shot a subtle glance at his mother... _That was when they found the pod_...

"She managed to escape through a wormhole near base Omega-X3J," Zarbon continued

 _That's light years away from here!_ Prince Vegeta thought to himself.

"We were unable to prevent her escape, but we did manage to damage the vessel, so wherever she came out she would've made a crash landing," Zarbon said before reaching to his scouter and clicking a button on the side. "These are the files we have on the fugitive."

Vegeta and his mother turned to his father as he began to laugh, "A five-year-old cub managed to escape a planet purge?" He paused to catch his breath, "And evade PTO forces, not once but TWICE?"

Zarbon raged at the insult, and Dodoria appeared ready to fight for his honor when the King continued, "So what could Lord Frieza's top generals possibly need my help for? If you couldn't catch her, what hope could there possibly be for us lowly Saiyans?" King Vegeta said, his words dripping with sarcasm and disdain.

"There was a report of an interstellar object in the atmosphere of Vegetasei," Zarbon said through gritted teeth, trying to maintain a sense of decorum. 

"Yes, a rogue asteroid entered the atmosphere and exploded over the sea," Queen Sabi offered.

It took all of Prince Vegeta's focus to not gape at his mother's lie. _What plan did she have? What angle? Mother would never make a move like this without there being some kind of plan in mind._

Too wound up to see through the Queen's lie, Zarbon sighed, "I see. Well. You have the girl's profile and image, should she turn up on this planet Lord Frieza expects you to do your duty. You have sworn fealty to him and will surrender the prisoner if she should make herself known. Find her and reap the rewards, provide sanctuary at your planet's peril." Zarbon paused, to impart the sense of doom. "While it goes without saying, you careless monkeys have a tendency for death and destruction, Lord Frieza wants her alive, and the ship intact. Do be careful with our prisoner."

As Zarbon turned to leave, his cape swishing behind him, he gave a stern glare to each member of the royal family. An unspoken threat of doom in that glance that would have lesser Saiyans trembling in their boots, but not the royal family. 

* * *

It was one of those rare nights where none of Vegetasei's moons could be seen. The darkest of nights, but the stars shone with amazing brilliance, the galaxy sprawled out across the blackness like a shimmering river of starlight. It was tough navigating in the dark through the mountainous archipelago that led to the Capitol. Bulma had updated and refined Kakarot's scouter to help, but his reckless flight path almost tossed her into the sea and left her clutching to her adoptive brother for dear life.

Suddenly the mountainous islands and sea gave way to the ancient harbor that had been the home of the Saiyan fleet before they became a space-faring race. 

"Not so fast! We need to stay low and slow to avoid detection!" Bulma warned. "Break off to the northeast and head for that peak over there," she said.

Kakarot followed Bulma's command, despite wanting to explore the city in the early pre-dawn hours. They were cutting it close, the sky was already starting to lighten from inky black to navy blue. Bulma insisted on doing this as the sun rose, even though he couldn't understand why. 

From the peak where they landed, the entirety of the Capitol was sprawled before them. Narrow valleys lined with homes, towers and interconnecting walkways stretched out before them, the shining dome of the Capitol building glinting in the starlight of pre-dawn, and the Palace proper nestled in the highest peaks towered over the city.

The vast majority of the city was dark, sleeping Saiyans who hadn't yet woke for the day. Streets and walkways were lit with bland yellow lights, giving the appearance of a glowing spider's web tangled in the valleys of the mountain chain. In the distance, red lights blinked slowly, indicating communication towers like the one they stood before now.

"Is my hologram still good?" Kakarot asked.

"Amazingly so," Bulma said with a smirk. "I don't have to ask if mine is working."

"So, I'm still not sure what we're supposed to be doing all the way out here," Kakarot said, his typical habit of rubbing the back of his head sheepishly looked odd with his hologram of Raditz.

"I'm going to wake up the city with some music," Bulma said, her smile looking odd on Vegeta's holographic face.

"From here?" He asked.

Bulma busted out with her tech, a tablet that connected wirelessly to her scouter, and began hacking into the communication array. "I'm hacking into the Public Broadcasting System from here. I've got to upload a virus to hide our signal and give us time to finish up and get out before anyone can catch us."

The sun was making its presence known, the sky lightening from a navy blue to shades of purple.

"Bulma!" Kakarot whined, "It's almost dawn! Hurry up!"

"Quiet! I'm trying to focus! I'm already in, I just have to upload a few more files..."

As the soft, lilting woodwind solo began to echo throughout the valleys of the Capitol, Bulma grinned. "I'm in!"

Kakarot crinkled his brow at her, confused when the blasting electric guitar solo kicked in he almost jumped out of his skin.

The emotional notes both emanated from and echoed in the valley and across the harbor, having taken over the network, Bulma was blaring the song from every speaker connected to the Public Broadcasting System.

As the skies rose to lighter shades of lavender with beams of orange signaling the impending sunrise, Bulma opened her eyes and began to cackle madly. Lights all over the city began to turn on, the city suddenly coming to life at her command. The way the light filtered through the buildings of the city, it almost looked like it was on fire.

As the music rose and crescendoed, so did the rising of the sun. Bulma felt her emotions rising in her chest as the first rays of dawn spilled across the horizon and the lyrics to Pink Floyd's "[In the Flesh?](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6lTiVgcYA_4)" began to play.

 _< So ya'..._  
_Thought ya'..._  
_Might like to..._  
_Go to the show >..._

Bulma grinned in satisfaction at the perfection of her timing, it was inspiring to watch. The combination of the intense music, the rising of the sun, the increasing number of windows with light coming from them. Oh, she had definitely outdone herself.

 _< To feel..._  
_The warm thrill of confusion..._  
_That space cadet glow >..._

Kakarot looked at her, Raditz mouth gaping in astonishment, and even though she knew it was just a hologram, the surge of pride she felt seeing that look on Raditz's face was a reward of its own.

 _< Tell me is something eluding you sunshine? _  
_Is this not what you expected to see?_  
_If you wanna' find out what's behind these cold eyes..._  
_You'll just have to claw your way through this disguise! >_

Those were her favorite lyrics. She was so sick of everyone underestimating her. She was sick of being dismissed as 'just a cub', as Bardock put it. She was sick of no one knowing who she was, what she was. She was sick of the loneliness that came with being the only living human in the universe. She was sick of being unloved and unneeded. She wanted people to see her for who she was. She wanted their admiration, praising her genius.

The guitar solo kicked back in and as if on cue the last of the city lights twinkled on, and strobe lights that signaled an emergency flickered to life.

_" <Lights!>"_

Just another minute... with the protocols she put in place, she was sure they had at least 10 minutes after the song ended to 'get out of Dodge'. She knew Kakarot was starting to panic as he tugged at her arm.

"Wait... it's almost done!" She shouted over the music.

_" <Turn on the sound effects!>"_

_" <Action!>"_

She could feel Kakarot's need to leave, "This is the best part!"

_" <Drop it on 'em! Drop it on them!!!!!>"_

The sound effects kicked in with the sound of an airplane going down, and as the song came to an abrupt conclusion, Bulma laughed at the panicked citizens taking to the streets. The laughter died in her throat as shrieks of terror echoed on the narrow valley walls. Suddenly this prank didn't seem like such a great idea. She never meant to scare anyone!

"Can we go NOW?" Kakarot asked with urgency.

She looked out over the chaos of the city suddenly feeling regret... regret that was immediately replaced with fear as she noticed the Palace was also lit up, and multiple ki auras could be seen fanning out from that point. She noticed a pair of ki auras headed for their location and scrambled to disconnect herself from the system and quickly pack up her tablet. She fumbled with the device and dropped it as Kakarot snatched her up.

"My tablet!" She shouted.

"There's no time! They're gonna catch us!" Kakarot yelled, running at top speed to put distance between himself and their pursuers before taking to the air and evasively weaving through the mountainous island that led home.

"Damn it! I lost my tablet!" Bulma pouted.

"You'll just have to build another, Bulma!" Kakarot sighed. "You cut that way too close."

"Pfft," Bulma grunted dismissively. "We had plenty of time."

The sun shone brightly by the time the pair had made it home, and Gine eyed them suspiciously as they entered. It was awfully early for them to have already been outside... 

* * *

 

 **Meanwhile** : 

"What in the seven hells is going on?" King Vegeta screamed, bursting into the War Room minutes after the assault on the Capitol ended. Still clad in the robe he wore only in his chambers, he cast a menacing glare at the officers in the room.

"It seems as if the entire stunt was some kind of attempt to strike fear in the hearts of our citizens," the elder Saiyan said, his white beard neatly trimmed and groomed for such an early hour.

Thinking back to his audience with Zarbon and Dodoria, "Paragus, was it the PTO? Did Frieza do this?"

"No, Sire," Paragus replied. "We were unable to trace the signal, but a pair of scouts found this near the communication tower in Sector 28," he handed the King the tablet they found not far from the communication tower. "The tower itself had been tampered with."

"Who was it?" the King questioned through gritted teeth.

The elder Saiyan hesitated, unsure of the king's reaction but unable to keep the information from him, "We have footage from the security cameras, Sire, but..."

King Vegeta silenced him with a stern glare, "Play the footage."

Paragus pulled up the footage, which began to play over the center of the table. King Vegeta growled in frustration at the grainy image, as a youthful Saiyan appeared at the base of the tower, he instantly recognized the distinct hairstyle of Bardock's son, Raditz.

"Increase resolution of the image," the King commanded.

The grainy image instantly gained clarity as a younger Saiyan climbed off of Raditz's back, and the vein in the King's forehead begin to throb and pulse in rage. 

"VEGETA!" The King screamed, his voice echoing throughout the palace. 

* * *

 

**A Short Time Later:**

"It wasn't me, Father! I swear!" The prince defended.

"Where were you this morning, before dawn? The servants said you hadn't slept in your room," Queen Sabi, ever the diplomatic mediator, tried to get to the root of the situation.

"Tarble had a nightmare. He wanted me to stay with him last night," Vegeta explained.

"This footage from this morning shows you with Raditz," Sabi said calmly.

"I haven't seen Raditz in a week!" Vegeta claimed.

"Then who is THIS?" his father scoffed.

"Well, it isn't me!" Vegeta protested.

"Let me see that footage again," Sabi demanded. With a disdainful wave of his hand, the King commanded they replay the 10-minute clip. "Play video at twice normal speed," she asked.

The video played, the Saiyan boys moved with exaggerated speed. 'Vegeta' pulled out a tablet, touched his scouter, and began typing away on it.

"I have never seen a device like that!" Vegeta claimed.

Sabi shot a silencing glare at her son before turning back to the video. The boys on the screen stood there amazed, laughing, then suddenly seemed fearful, before attempting to flee. 'Vegeta' dropped the tablet, when Sabi noticed something as 'he' knelt down.

"Return to normal speed, replay the last 30 seconds," Sabi demanded.

The scene replayed. Raditz grabbed Vegeta's arm, Vegeta went to store the tablet and dropped it. The images of Raditz and Vegeta flickered strangely for a split second.

"STOP!" she commanded, "Rewind to just before that thing hits the ground."

The video played, and as the tablet made impact Sabi issued another command, "Stop!"

There on the screen, but blurry, were two beings that were most definitely NOT Raditz and Vegeta.

"Enhance resolution," she whispered, afraid that her recognition of the pair on the screen was correct.

As the image was enhanced, Vegeta's jaw hit the floor. He would recognize Kakarot's goofy hair anywhere, and there beside him... the vein in his forehead began to pulse and throb just like his Father.

"THAT BITCH!" Vegeta shouted, banging his fist on the War Room table.

Sabi stood frozen, her lips in a startled 'o' as she, too, recognized Kakarot's companion... those blue eyes, and curly blue hair... how could she not?

"LEAVE US," The King commanded.

As the rest of his military staff exited the room, the King spoke lowly, "Can someone explain why the fugitive that I told Lord Frieza's men was not on my planet, is IN FACT on my planet?"

Sabi wrung her hands nervously, "I meant to tell you... but you're always so busy!"

"We found her pod," Vegeta began.

"We who?" the King asked.

"Me and Kakarot," Vegeta explained. "We thought it was a meteor. We found out it was an escape pod. Mother came to find me when I didn't answer hails to my scouter. She had us load up the pod and left the girl with Bardock and Gine!"

The King looked to his wife and understood, she always did have a soft spot for cubs. Of course she would evoke the rights of an orphaned cub, regardless of its race. 

"Were you able to discover anything from the ship?"

"Well..." Sabi said hesitantly and groaned. "UGH! I wasn't able to crack any of the code! It was so complex, brilliant! All I could manage was making retroactive schematics as I took it apart!"

"A shiny new toy to play with?" the King chuckled to himself, before giving his son a stony glare, "Go to your room. You are not to leave your chambers until either your mother or I summon you personally."

"Sabi, you should have told me," Vegeta spoke gently to his wife once they were alone. "We've put ourselves... our people, our planet, in jeopardy for the sake of an alien child."

"You would understand if you met her," Sabi said softly, embracing her husband.

"I suppose after all of this, I must meet the girl. She did evade PTO officers for four years and survive a planet purge. I'd like to meet a cub with that kind of wiles," Vegeta chucked into Sabi's hair. "And how was she able to disguise herself? And this tech... There are a lot of questions that I want answers to." 

* * *

 

**Later That Morning:**

Kakarot and Bulma had returned for lunch after their 'training' that morning, which had consisted of a nice nap on the beach on the far side of the island. As he came upon the house, he noticed a royal cruiser on the lawn. Residual nervousness from their early morning adventure had the pair sneaking into the lab to grab Bulma's holographic bracelets and disguising herself with the 'Saiyan' setting before heading into the house.

"Bulma!" Gine gasped as she entered the house. "You're... you..."

"I know, we're back," Bulma offered. "We saw that you had visitors and stopped by the lab before coming in." _Please just play along_ , Bulma thought to herself.

Gine shot her a curious glance as she inspected the child, she looked like any other Saiyan child! Sure her hair was soft and curly instead of the typical spiky or straight that was common. She stifled a startled gasp, a tail! This child had some serious explaining to do, but first.

"Lieutenant Fasha and Commander Torah are here," Gine explained. "Apparently we have been summoned for an audience with the King. ALL of us."

Bulma and Kakarot exchanged brief glances of fear in each other's direction, that Gine scowled at upon seeing. _Just what had those two gotten into last night_. 

* * *

 

**A Few Hours Later, at the Palace:**

Bulma clasped Gine's hand tightly, feeling every bit the terrified child as she marched down the gigantic hall lined with Saiyan warriors. She had been mildly nervous during the flight to the Palace, but that had morphed into full-on dread when they arrived at the throne room and were met by Bardock and Raditz, who had also been summoned. The patchwork family stood before the empty thrones awaiting the King's arrival.

Raditz kept eyeing Bulma, trying to figure out how she had made herself look so Saiyan as he noticed the metallic bangle on her wrist. Bardock had lifted his brow in curiosity at the development but declined to ask when Gine she gave him a look that said she didn't know either.

Their musings were cut short as the King entered, trailed by his wife and eldest son. Bulma hid behind Gine, trying not to be noticed as her human instinct of 'fight or flight' had her heart thrumming in her ears and screaming at her to run. With a wave of his hand, 

"Bardock, Gine," The King nodded to his subjects, who gave him the fisted salute of respect for their king. He silently observed their boys, Raditz stood at attention a hint of confusion on his face, while Kakarot stood there pale as a ghost and desperate not to make eye contact. It was then that he noticed a pair of dark eyes peeking from behind Gine. _So this is the girl,_ he thought to himself. _Curious_ , he thought as he noted her appearance and saw the bangle dangling from her wrist where she clutched at Gine's robes. She must be wearing the device she wore this morning, disguising herself.

"Can you please explain why our sons were hacking into a communications tower at dawn this morning?" The King asked regally.

Bardock and Gine exchanged glances of confusion before Bardock spoke, "Sire, we have no idea what you're talking about!"

With a wave of his hand, the video they had discovered at the communication tower began to play, Raditz and Vegeta clearly visible.

"That's not me! I wasn't there!" Raditz shouted.

"Clearly this is you in the footage, Raditz," the king said. "Did you not think you would be caught? Did you not realize that you could go to prison for starting a riot in the Capitol? You're an adult, and there are consequences for your actions!"

Queen Sabi shot her husband a sideways glance, _Laying it on a bit thick, aren't you?_

Bulma took a deep breath. Sure Raditz had been an asshole, but he really wasn't there... and it really wasn't his fault. She couldn't send him to prison for something she had done, it just wasn't right.

"It wasn't Raditz, Sire," Bulma said sheepishly, still hiding behind Gine.

The king shot a satisfied glance at his wife, _It worked, didn't it?_ He turned back to the hiding child, "What was that?"

Bulma took another deep breath as she stepped out from behind Gine, "It wasn't Raditz, he wasn't there."

Sabi stifled a gasp and Prince Vegeta's jaw hit the floor as she brought herself to view before the king. The prince's jaw immediately snapped closed, _Of course she looks like a Saiyan, if she could make herself look like me she could make herself look like anyone. But she doesn't look like anyone, she looks like herself... only Saiyan colors... and a tail??_ He thought as he noticed the appendage wrapped around her waist.

"I'll not tolerate liars in my throne room," the King said grimly.

"But he isn't lying!" Bulma protested.

"I never accused HIM of lying, <space cadet>," the King said as he looked her directly in the eye. "Only a liar would wear a <disguise>."

Bulma was stunned to silence, hearing her own language repeated back to her by the King of all Saiyans, he had not only heard the lyrics but understood them. She glanced over at Sabi and noticed what was nestled in her crossed arms. _My tablet!_ She closed her eyes and took a deep breath before deactivating the hologram, showing her true self to the King.

"So this is the cub who escaped a planet purge and has evaded capture by Zarbon and Dodoria for four years," King Vegeta said, his lips framed with a goatee curling up in amusement. "Child, did you know your actions this morning were a crime? I could have you banished."

"I did not. If banishment is your punishment, allow me access to my pod so I can repair it and leave your planet," Bulma said carefully, avoiding any mention of her mission, wishes, and dragon balls.

King Vegeta laughed, "You can have it back when you can put it back together."

"What?" Bulma asked, confused.

"I suppose it may take a few years," the King postulated with an air of humor, as he displayed an image of her pod, completely dismantled.

"MY SHIP!" Bulma screamed, "You had no right!" It was only then that she noticed the similarity between the Prince and the King, which only provoked her anger further.

"I have EVERY right!" King Vegeta bellowed, "I am KING."

Bulma seethed with rage, while Gine and Bardock looked on, horrified. Kakarot gave her a proud smile, impressed that she told the truth to save Raditz. Raditz stared on in astonishment at the little girl he had mocked, realizing she was definitely more than the stupid child he had assumed her to be. Queen Sabi smiled at the girl, entertained at the small child going toe to toe with the most powerful of Saiyans. Prince Vegeta was amazed, no one ever spoke like that to his father. He stood in awe of her strength, feeling strange new sensations pooling in his stomach drawing him to the girl.

"Since you are still a cub, your insolence will be forgiven this once," Sabi spoke gently, attempting to smooth the ruffled feathers of the most head-strong and stubborn beings she had ever met. "As a citizen of the Saiyan empire, you will be held to Saiyan law. You will not go to prison, nor will you be banished." Bulma let out a sigh of relief before the Queen continued with her sentencing, "At the completion of this Minor Moon Cycle you will join the next group of cubs to enter The Citadel."

"But Mother! She's only nine!" Vegeta interjected.

"According to my computer's calendar and calculations, I will be ten in approximately 8 Saiyan days," Bulma said proudly. _Stupid arrogant prince. None of us would even be here if it weren't for him and his smarmy mouth! He isn't even that handsome!_

"Then it shall be done. Bulma will enter the Citadel with the next curricular year beginning at the completion of the current Minor Moon Cycle," Queen Sabi locked eyes with Bulma to stress her point. "Learning Saiyan ways will go a long way for you in your new life here. If you manage to graduate, and IF you manage to put the pod back together, you may leave the planet of your own free will, and not a day sooner."


	9. The Citadel: Year One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> FUCK ME that took forever. I know, like two whole weeks.  
> Yeesh.  
> Anyhow:  
> Appx reading time: 45 mins

 

Bulma tapped her foot nervously on the flight to the Citadel. Somehow, leaving her new family for what was effectively a Saiyan boarding school brought back the same anxieties as when she left Earth. Gine had been stunned when Bulma had hugged her on the transport platform, whispering in her ear that it wasn't Saiyan-like behavior but she wouldn't mind indulging her this once. Kakarot had only received a ruffling of his hair and a request to work hard and stay out of trouble. They had waved good-bye as the children were loaded onto the transport and taken to their final destination.

Kakarot smiled at her and ruffled her hair; she hadn't left all her family behind. Sure, she would be housed in the female barracks while he would be with the males, but they would still be able to eat their meals together. Because he was a year ahead of her, they wouldn't have any classes together. King Vegeta had ordered her to wear her HGB, as she came to call her Hologram Generating Bracelet, for the entirety of her attendance at the Citadel.

She was so nervous! What if she didn't fit in? What if no one liked her? What if someone tried to fight her? Well, the HGB still had ki shields, and she'd already earned her black belt... so she wasn't too worried. Her musings were cut short as the transport exited the narrow valley and the iconic tower of the Citadel came into view. At the furthest edge of the Capitol's mountains lay a deep ravine, an impassible chasm with a solitary bridge, the only land access to the Citadel. Beyond the shining tower lay the Great Desert, stretching for hundreds of miles out of view.

The other children began chattering excitedly as Bulma squeezed Kakarot's hand with anxiety. They had boarded the transport sometime after breakfast, and it was late morning by the time the ship landed at the docking bay. Bulma saw several other ships docking at the Citadel's Ring, Saiyan cubs of various sizes and shades of red, brown, and black filing out of them. She could see females and males being separated and led to their respective barracks.

When the ship had finished docking, Bulma shot Kakarot a final nervous smile as a tall and lanky female Saiyan only a few years older than she was rounded up the females on her ship. Bulma thought it strange that of the 30 children on her transport, only ten of them- herself included- were female, all but one of them seemed a year older or more. Her forehead crinkled with thought, surely such a poor male to female ratio was bad for the species. She remembered that humans had a very close ratio of males to females, so it seemed odd to be out-numbered by males.

The males and females were separated, those groups further divided by age, Bulma observed. Groups of older girls were led away rather quickly, showing their familiarity with each other as they departed for their barracks. She was led with a group of girls her age to a barracks that held 10 bunks, one for each girl present. Bulma looked around observing the sleeping hall. The large arching ceiling was more of a dome shape, the center of which had circular windows that allowed for natural light to shine brilliantly on the reflective walls. When the sun came over the horizon, the room would shine with enough intensity to wake even the deepest of sleep.

She was disrupted by her musings as the lanky female began to speak.

"My name is Okara," the lanky Saiyan announced, her dark hair highlighted with shimmering reds in the midday sun reflecting around the room. "You will call me Captain Okara when in public, or simply Captain in private. This is my final year at the Citadel. I was chosen for military service, and was given this position to test my ability to lead and command troops." She eyed the younger females in their group, and Bulma felt a silent challenge for dominance from the intimidating girl. "You have been assigned together because you are all the same age. I suggest you all learn to get along because you will be stuck together until you graduate. For the remainder of this term, you are under my personal supervision. I will be the one to discipline, I will be the one who gives the commands. Is that understood?" Okara concluded, with a deliberate flaring of her ki as a sign of dominance.

"Yes, ma'am," the girls announced in unison.

"Good," Okara announced. "Now, unpack your things, change into your uniforms, and get ready for lunch. You have 20 minutes."

Bunks were assigned, plaques at the end of the bunk with each girl's name. Bulma inspected the new space, her nose crinkling at the firmness of the bedding as she sat down. Immediately to the left of her bed was a small desk with an integrated computer for her to work on assignments. She noticed drawers underneath her mattress and quickly stowed her uniforms and undergarments. She noticed the other girls stripping down to change into their uniforms and followed suit. The dark blue uniforms were formfitting and Bulma could clearly see where she lacked muscle development from her four-year journey through space. She packed her small satchel with her leather capsule kit and noted the names of the other girls in her barracks: Kale, Pinache, Ginge, Cassa, Yamma, Vocada, Rota, Mayze, and Totoma. Okara came charging in, promptly 20 minutes later and led the girls to the serving hall for their midday meal, where the entirety of the Citadel's student body had congregated at 5 long tables that spanned the full length of the hall. They were given their schedules for the year as the food was brought to their tables and feasting commenced.

Bulma sat back in shock as the other children pounced in the proffered food, save one female who was a bit smaller than herself. She sat back shyly, half of her face covered with dark brown bangs, the rest pulled up in a ponytail high on the back of her head. Bulma gave the girl a smile and moved to sit next to her.

Offering the smaller girl a share of her plate, Bulma introduced herself, "Hi. I'm Bulma."

The smaller girl smiled nervously, "I'm Kale."

Bulma gave her a big smile, "Oh! Your bunk is right next to mine!"

The two girls finished their meal in companionable silence before being taken on a tour of the grounds by their captain, Okara. She explained that their studies would alternate daily. Tomorrow, their first day would start with Saiyago, where they would be taught proper grammar, followed by Martial Arts, and then lunch. After lunch, they would learn mathematics, followed again by more Martial Arts, and then their evening meal. The following day, Saiyago would be replaced with Saiyan History, and mathematics replaced with science, while Martial Arts training and sparring was kept at regular intervals. Every seventh day, classes were canceled to give the students time to catch up on projects and assignments, or simply spend the day distracting themselves with their own entertainment. Bulma noted that clearly Saiyan children needed to be kept physically stimulated to prevent them from being unruly. Particularly the males, who had already seemed to turn aggressive from lacking an outlet for their energy.

...

Kakarot watched as the group of young females that Bulma had been herded with were led to their barracks. He immediately headed for his barracks, having been assigned there last year, he didn't need a barracks Captain to lead the way. As he entered, he saw Vegeta at his own bunk putting away his things and changing into his uniform, a form-fitting black that all males wore. Kakarot could feel the anger and tension rolling off of him as he walked past.

"Hey, Vegeta," he called cheerfully.

Vegeta ignored him, continuing to put his things away angrily.

"Awww, come on. You're not still mad at me, are you?" Kakarot asked with a chuckle.

Vegeta turned to him, "How could you? You were going to let ME take the fall for YOUR prank!"

Kakarot shrugged, "Technically, it wasn't MY prank. It started out as a way to get back at Raditz, you're the one who called her ugly! She wouldn't have even dragged you into it if you hadn't made yourself a target!"

"Tch!" Vegeta scoffed, kicking the drawer beneath his bunk closed.

"She who?" asked their bunk-mate Cabba, striding over from having put away his possessions.

"Oh, you didn't hear about Kakarot's new sister?" Vegeta scoffed.

Cabba quirked an eyebrow in confusion, "I was at home in the Arctic during the break. What happened?"

 _Here we go_ , Kakarot thought to himself, _I've practiced this story a million times_ , "Well, ya see... This girl washed up on our island." He rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, "She lost her family and her tribe. I guess they were some isolated nomadic tribe that sailed the southern seas, they only land when seas are rough and I guess it was only on the uninhabited islands out there. Anyhow, Queen Sabi was called in and now I have a sister."

"So, what about this prank that Vegeta almost took the fall for?" Cabba asked.

Kakarot grinned, "You heard about that 'attack' on the Capitol?"

Cabba frowned in concentration, everyone had heard about the audio attack; even scouters had been hacked to blare the music as the sun rose over the Capitol.

Kakarot leaned in and whispered to Cabba, "That was us."

Cabba gasped in shock, "Us?"

"Me and Bulma," Kakarot replied.

"Bul-ma?" Cabba asked, playing with the unfamiliar name. "That's unusual."

"Yeah, well, you know... weirdo sea-faring nomads and junk," Kakarot rambled. "Bulma's pretty cool and really smart."

Their new captain, Negi, suddenly entered and interrupted their conversation to take them to the serving hall for lunch. Cabba sat between Kakarot and Vegeta, seeing the open space at the table, and looked around the hall at the multitude of students.

"So, where is this new sister of yours, Kakarot?" Cabba asked.

He perked his head up to scan the hall for her familiar head of curls in a sea of spiky, straight hair. While scanning the room, a familiar shimmer of light caught his attention. I should tell her about that so she can fix her hologram. "Over there, with the curly black hair," he gestured.

Cabba sat up and looked to where Kakarot had motioned to, seeing a delicate girl with soft curls framing her pale face. "I dunno what you're talking about, Vegeta. I don't think she's ugly."

Kakarot turned to see Vegeta blushing, and laughed at the memory of Bulma blushing while wearing a hologram of him. At the sound of his laughter, Vegeta scowled and crossed his arms over his chest.

"She's an insufferable know-it-all," Vegeta scoffed as lunch was delivered to their table.

"So are you!" Kakarot said with a chuckle, reaching to serve himself from the platter placed before him.

"Tch!" Vegeta replied, before shoving food into his mouth.

... 

After taking all the girls on a tour of the grounds, Okara released them to personal recreational time. They were allowed to roam the Citadel to familiarize themselves with it, return to their barracks, or head to the serving hall to mingle with other students. After trying to find Kakarot for about 20 minutes, Bulma gave up and returned to her barracks. Normally, she would stave off her boredom with time in the lab, but her lab was currently encapsulated and in the leather case in her satchel. Where could she deploy it without being bothered? Her mind raced through the map of the grounds, considering possible sites. She didn't want to be far from the barracks. She definitely couldn't place it near the tower, and while there were numerous places she could have chosen, many of them just wouldn't work. She paced and paced, watching her footsteps when an idea struck like lightning. Grabbing her scouter, she scanned her barracks with the ground penetrating radar application she'd downloaded from her pod. She saw concrete about a foot thick, and beneath that, bedrock. She frowned as she scanned the room, the vast majority of it placed safely on bedrock. As she turned towards her bunk, she noticed a hole in the bedrock that had filled with sedimentary rock and was capped off with the concrete floor of the barracks. She grinned to herself as she scanned the space and realize that her capsule lab could fit perfectly in the space if she excavated out the softer stone. How could she do it though?

She mulled over the idea as Okara came to round them up for their evening meal. Kakarot came and ate with her, making her the envy of most of her bunk-mates who found the adolescent Saiyan handsome. She introduced him to her new friend Kale, who shyly said hello and gave a small nod before focusing on her food and trying not to be noticed. Bulma had asked where Kakarot's 'best friend' was, and why they weren't eating together, but Kakarot simply frowned at her and changed the subject. Bulma was curious, but decided not to push; her 'brother' would confide his feelings when he was ready. She still hadn't worked out the solution to her lab dilemma when it was time to return to their barracks and found the gears in her head still turning as she nodded off to sleep. 

The next morning, Bulma went to her first class full of excitement and ready to gain new knowledge. She was sorely disappointed with her Saiyago class. She was met with knowledge she already gained from Gine and Kakarot's tutelage since her arrival on Vegetasei. While the teacher lectured, Bulma got busy with the assignments available to her at her desk. Each desk had an integrated computer that was connected to a compound-wide server, meaning no matter what desk she was at she had access to all the assignments assigned to her for the remainder of the year. While the instructor thought she was dutifully taking notes, Bulma completed the entire week's worth of assignments.

The signal that ended class, a blaring squawk, meant that it was time for Martial Arts. Bulma went to the sparring fields with less excitement than her previous class. Having had reality come nowhere near her expectations, she wasn't as optimistic that she would learn something new. A part of her was relieved that they would not be sparring just yet, their instructor Celeri had them doing katas almost like yoga, holding the poses and repeating them. She would walk the field examining every students' form and making corrections as needed.

"The rest of the students have their tails unfurled, why do you not?" Celeri had asked Bulma as she observed her form.

"A Saiyan's tail can be a liability in battle, it should be protected at all costs," Bulma replied, holding her pose and hoping no one would touch her 'tail'.

"That is correct," Celeri responded with a smile. "Everyone with their tails not secured will immediately fall back, and run 20 laps around the field while securing these disks to your chest with your tail," Celeri gestured to the pile of weighted disks at the edge of the field as many of the students groaned in frustration. Bulma peeked to her left to see Kale with her tail wrapped around her waist securely, a small smile on her face.

Bulma and Kale packed a small picnic lunch and ate near where their mathematics class was, and Kale admitted being nervous because math wasn't her strong suit. When class began, Bulma was again disappointed at the level of education they were expecting from her. As the teacher lectured about addition and subtraction, Bulma raced through the coursework, completing several weeks' worth of assignments by the time the signal for Martial Arts came again. Bulma was again disappointed at the unchallenging afternoon. After the evening meal, Bulma worked on more of her assignments until she couldn't keep her eyes open and climbed into her bed.

Her first day of Saiyan history was rewarding. Bulma had enjoyed hearing tales of ancient Earth civilizations, and the history of the Saiyans was intriguing. It probably helped that her teacher was a great orator and spun an entertaining tale. More boring katas during Martial Arts, and being sent to run laps for a lack of focus. Even science class was inane, everything so far below and beneath her level of knowledge, Bulma felt so isolated she could cry. Instead, she picked up the habit of just working on her assignments as the teacher lectured, and after evening meals she would work on assignments until she was too tired to keep her eyes open.

By the end of the week, she had completed all the coursework for Saiyago, History, Mathematics, and Science. Bulma suddenly found herself back in the same predicament as her first day: complete and utter boredom. She flipped through the pages of her history book when suddenly a math text went flying across the room, Kale grunting in frustration.

"I just don't understand any of this!" Kale shouted.

Bulma went to her friend and softly rubbed circles on her back, "Maybe we need to find a different way to make it make sense for you." Bulma went on to show Kale different mathematic strategies from Earth, and suddenly it started to click. Kale was getting it! 

"I'm here for you, Kale," Bulma said with sincerity. "If you need help, you can count on me."

Kale smiled at her, "Same here. Anything you need and I'm there."

Bulma's face suddenly lit up, remembering an almost forgotten problem, "Now that you mention it, there IS something I need help with..."

Bulma went on to show Kale the surveys of the barracks she took with her scouter and explain her project, leaving Kale a bit baffled.

"A Laboratory? But, there's a ton of labs up in the central tower," Kale protested.

"Pfft, you call those LABS? They're pathetic. You should see my lab. It's amazing," Bulma said with a sad smile on her face.

Kale shrugged, deciding to put faith in Bulma's superior intellect, "Where do we start?"

Their other bunk-mates had cleared out, and with Kale's help, Bulma moved her bunk so they could work beneath it. She removed one of the drawers under her bed and made a small door just wide enough to crawl through, while Kale used her ki to cut a perfect square into the concrete beneath the bed's frame. Using an empty capsule, Kale and Bulma were able to excavate the sedimentary rock and dispose of it in the nearby chasm. Bulma was impressed that they had managed to clear the entire thing out before lunch. 

With Kale's help, they moved the bunk back to its previous position and nothing looked amiss. The pair used the secret door to enter the subterranean chamber, beneath the bed was a space the width of a staircase and a few feet away it opened into a large chamber. In the darkness, Bulma crossed her fingers and prayed her calculations were correct as she popped the capsule and tossed it into the open space. Kale gripped Bulma's shoulders as a muffled explosion popped in front of them, and as the mist evaporated a door stood where once there was an opening to a larger chamber.

Bulma opened the door excitedly, only to be met by darkness... albeit the interior of the lab was there, but it had no power.

"So this is the impressive lab we worked so hard for?" Kale said with a laugh.

Bulma worked away on her scouter, identifying the problem and putting a plan into action as she groaned in frustration, "There's no power. Normally it can tap into natural sources of energy, solar or geothermal, even hydro or wind power." Bulma rambled on as Kale stared on blankly, "I've activated the nanobots to connect to the power source of the Citadel via our barracks, but it's going to take some time for them to work."

"Nanobots?" Kale asked, completely lost.

"Tiny robots that act like parasites," Bulma explained, noting Kale's continued confusion with a sigh. "Let's just go grab some lunch, and check things out when we get back."

The pair climbed out carefully, making sure no one saw them crawling out, and made for the serving hall. Kakarot found them and sat down opposite Bulma, next to Kale. Bulma started rattling on about finally getting her lab set up when a male Saiyan plopped himself down next to her, across from Kakarot.

"Hey, Cabba!" Kakarot called. "Is Vegeta skipping lunch to train more?"

Bulma rolled her eyes at the mention of the obnoxious prince while Kale chuckled quietly. Cabba smiled at Kale from across the table and she felt her heart speed up and blood rush to her face. He turned and gave a grin to Bulma that she returned with a half-hearted smile.

The boys began to discuss their preparations for the mid-term Tournament for Martial Arts. Each class year held a mid-term tournament to evaluate their progression, boys vs boys and girls vs girls until there was both a male and a female winner- who would then fight for the title of strongest in their year. Martial Arts grading was different, there was no 'pass' or 'fail', but rather a ranking system. This ranking system helped instructors customize their plan with each individual student. Whenever Cabba looked at Kale and smiled, she felt like her heart was going to beat out of her chest. There was something about him, she just didn't understand, and it made her feel warm and fuzzy inside.

Bulma was distracted during their conversation, mulling over potential projects and what she had left off doing before coming to the Citadel. As an alert chimed on her scouter, Bulma broke out into a grin- the lab was connected to a power source and ready to go! She grabbed a couple of fluffy biscuits before darting for the barracks with a hasty "Gotta go!" as she left. Kale blushed, hastily grabbing a few biscuits for herself and darting after Bulma.

Cabba watched as Bulma left, noting that her gait seemed different from Kale's. While Kale moved in fluid, almost cat-like movements, Bulma's gait was different- the movement radiating from her hips instead of her legs. He was interrupted from his musings by a tingling sensation of being watched and scanned the hall to find Vegeta glaring at him.

"What's his problem?" Cabba asked.

"I think he's still angry about all the progress I made during the break," Kakarot said with a smile. "I don't think he likes that I've closed the gap to become a close second."

Cabba shrugged, not entirely convinced that Vegeta's ire was due to that... nor involved Kakarot at all.

...

Bulma occupied herself in her lab every spare moment she had, a new project she'd dreamed up taking all her focus. She called it a "Ki Pulse Grenade", it was based on the theory that ki works similarly to electricity. Just like an Electromagnetic pulse knocks out electrical components, Bulma had isolated the wavelength of biological energy and with a massive pulse of it, she would be able to short-circuit a ki user's ability. She considered it her ace-in-the-hole trump card in the upcoming mid-term Tournament and hoped it wouldn't be needed.

Martial Arts was the only aspect she did not excel in, at least not to the extent she was used to. She was frequently complimented on her form and technique, but the majority of her classmates were much stronger and faster. Bulma trained harder than ever, trying to improve her strength and speed naturally, but couldn't quite seem to bridge the gap between herself and her Saiyan peers. She didn't want to cheat, using technology to win, she wanted to prove herself with her own skill.

The last day of classes the week before the Tournament, the starting matches were announced, giving everyone a final day of preparation. On the first day of the mid-term week, preliminary matches were held. Bulma found herself in the ring with the only Saiyan female that was weaker and slower than her, Yamma. She smiled at Kakarot as he cheered her on from the sidelines, flanked by Cabba and Kale, who had already won her match with Totoma that morning. Yamma had just experienced a growth spurt and towered over Bulma, but she used this to her advantage. Going for her feet, knees, and legs, Bulma kept her off balance until she was able to knock her completely off her feet and catch her in an advanced Earth grapple hold until she was awarded her first point. Yamma seemed agitated from her first loss, and Bulma knew that she needed to change her technique to keep her opponent off balance. She let Yamma go on the offensive, dodging her blows and conserving her energy as Yamma exhausted herself. Once Yamma was a panting mess, Bulma used a counter-attack throw combination, deflecting Yamma's blow and using the girl's own inertia to throw her from the ring. At this point, Yamma was furious, charging full speed at Bulma who reacted with the clarity that came with years of training. As Yamma was mid-step, Bulma used her knee to bring her up to the level of her head, as she twisted in mid-air she wrapped her legs around Yemma's neck and threw her to the ground. The crowd that had gathered roared in approval as Bulma twisted the taller girl up like a pretzel, locking her knees around the girl's neck in a sleeper hold while forcing her back into an uncomfortable arch as she wrenched the girl's leg back.

Bulma released the girl after earning her third and final point with the strategic grapple. She raised her hands in triumph as Kakarot, Kale, and Cabba cheered for her. She looked around to see other students applauding when she noticed Vegeta and made eye contact. Her heart started racing as he smirked at her with a look of... admiration? She smiled back, and a look of surprise crossed his face before he quickly scowled and Cabba was in front of her.

"That was amazing! I never learned anything like that as a first-year!" Cabba praised.

"She didn't learn those as a first-year!" Kakarot laughed.

Bulma elbowed him in the ribs, stifling his comment and adding distraction with a "Let's go get something to eat, I'm famished!"

...

Day Two of the tournament had Bulma anxious. Of all her bunk-mates, there was only one she truly didn't want to fight. With Totoma, Rota, Yamma, Cassa, and Pinache eliminated in the previous day's bouts, it was down to the semi-finalists: Kale, Bulma, Vocada, Mayze, and Ginge. Celeri had matched Vocada and Mayze for the morning bout, and Bulma vs Kale for the afternoon bout. Before leaving their barracks that morning, Bulma and Kale swore an oath to each other- no matter who won, they would always be friends.

Bulma had no way of knowing how hard that friendship would be tested that day, neither of them did.

As Kale made her way to the sparring grounds, she felt her heart thundering in her chest at the sound of Cabba's voice. She hadn't confided in her feelings for him to anyone, not even Bulma. It made overhearing the conversation that much harder.

"I don't care what you say, Vegeta! I like her and you can't tell me who I can be friends with!" Cabba growled.

Kale's breath caught in her lungs, unable to breathe... Who was he talking about? Was it her? Did he have feelings for her? Her heart thudded madly in her chest.

"Stay away from her, I mean it!" Vegeta growled back.

"I'll pursue her if I want to! You aren't her brother, you aren't her family, so you can't tell me I can't talk to her. I'd like to see you try to stop me," Cabba said threateningly.

Tears welled up in Kale's eyes as she heard scuffling and the familiar sounds of fists meeting flesh. How could she be so wrong? He doesn't like me... he wants Bulma! Adolescent hormones tore through her body as she berated herself. Why would he want a stupid girl like her anyway? Bulma was so smart, so brilliant... how could she compare? She wiped the tears from her eyes as she made her way to the sparring grounds and tried to center herself.

By the time she had reached the sparring grounds, a crowd had already gathered to watch. Kale's hormones shifted her feelings into high gear, and Bulma gave her a confused look in response to her scowl. They were friends! How could she take the attention of the first male she developed feelings for? Slowly, her feelings of sadness and depression were replaced by indignant rage. Celeri explained the rules of the fight as she had every single one so far. First to three points wins the bout. Pushing your opponent out of the ring is a point. Immobilizing your opponent to a count of ten is a point. Flying is considered a 'ring-out'. Knockouts are an immediate disqualification, for both: the one being knocked out is disqualified from advancing due to weakness, the one doing the knockout disqualified for causing a bunk-mate to lose consciousness from a lack of control.

Kale seethed with rage, escalating with the roar of the crowd.

Bulma looked at Kale curiously, knowing something was wrong. She seemed so angry, and Bulma couldn't understand why. Her muscles tensed in unease, as she noted her friend's facial features. She was definitely angry. Bulma was momentarily distracted by Kakarot and Cabba cheering when Celeri called for the match to begin.

Kale charged at Bulma with a burst of speed that caught the human off-guard, barely dodging what would've been a serious face-bashing. Kale closed the distance between them and delt a flurry of blows as a primal growl rang from the young Saiyan girl's throat.

"Kale, what's going on?" Bulma asked as she dodged and deflected the blows, if only just barely.

"It isn't fair!" Kale growled. "Can't I just have one thing for myself?"

"What are you talking about?" Bulma asked.

Kale snarled at her ferally glancing quickly over to where Cabba and Kakarot were cheering.

"Go, Bulma!" Cabba cheered as she turned to see what Kale was looking at.

As she was distracted, Kale struck. She rushed Bulma, and with a powerful uppercut sent the small human flying to the edge of the ring, as the groans of the audience rippled across the sparring field like a wave. As Bulma rose, she saw a crackling of energy forming around Kale as she roared ferociously. _Thank God for my ki shield_ , she thought to herself. _If they hadn't deflected the impact, I'd be in some serious trouble right now._

She turned to glance at Kakarot, yelling for her to get up, and saw Cabba holding his fist up cheering for her. She turned her attention to Kale, finally figuring the situation out, but it was too late. She was not ready for the situation that manifested in the ring. As Kale screamed, her body appeared to explode with muscles and the cracking of bones and rending of flesh left a hush across the audience, causing her scream to echo louder. Her dark hair sprang forth from its confines as energy rolled off of her in shimmering green waves. Her eyes turned a blood red, and her nose and mouth appeared to elongate as fangs began to protrude from her open mouth. Bulma stood there gaping at Kale's transformation, this great beast twice her normal size with ki rippling away like a gentle flame.

"<Holy shit>," Bulma muttered to herself. She had read of a rare ability, that certain Saiyans were able to summon their Oozaru form at will. She wasn't fully Oozaru though, it seemed like she was caught part way there... not fully great ape... and not fully coherent, either. The beast turned to Bulma, and for a moment she panicked. She scanned the audience looking for help, and suddenly locked eyes with Vegeta.

As their eyes met, she could almost hear him in her mind as he took a deep breath. _Calm yourself_. He raised his fists defensively, throwing small punches, and gave a nod of his head, followed by a smirk of pride. She furrowed her brow and nodded at him. _Keep my defenses up and just wear her down, strike as the opportunity grants it._

As she turned her attention back to Kale, the beast began to charge. Bulma could feel the power radiating off her form but the strength didn't quite translate into speed. Where Kale was once lithe and feline in her grace, now she lumbered like a gorilla. Bulma ducked into a defensive position as if to gird herself from Kale's oncoming charge when Bulma suddenly sprang up over her head, giving a quick kick to the middle of her back as she somersaulted to the edge of the ring. Maybe I can snap her out of it? Bulma braced herself for Kale's charge, ducking out of the way at the last moment and delivering a powerful kick that knocked her out of the ring.

"RING-OUT!" Celeri shouted, awarding Bulma a point and calling for a reset to the match.

Kale was having none of it. She turned snarling towards Bulma and charged at her again when Celeri blocked her path. The crowd let out a collective gasp as Kale grabbed Celeri by the throat and roared in her face before slamming her to the ground and raining down blows on the instructor until she stopped moving.

"KALE!" Bulma shouted, drawing the beast's attention.

Kale dropped the unconscious Celeri, refocusing her attack and realizing her primary opponent. 

Dodging a flurry of blows, Bulma tried to reach her friend, "Kale! Stop! I know why you're upset, but it isn't like that!"

Kale found an opening and got in a nasty uppercut that Bulma rolled with to absorb the impact that hadn't been deflected by her ki shields.

"He's mine!" Kale growled, grabbing Bulma by the throat and lifting her off the ground.

"I don't like Cabba like that!" Bulma protested, her voice a barely audible squeak as Kale tried to choke the life out of her. Bulma scanned the crowd blindly looking for help, Kakarot was being held back by Cabba trying to come to her aid. As she scanned the crowd further, she saw Vegeta with his face contorted in emotions she couldn't fathom for the air being choked out of her.

"Kale, stop this!" she squeaked out. "You're going to hurt someone."

"The only one getting hurt is me! And it's your fault!" Kale growled.

Reaching a free hand into her pocket, Bulma whispered breathlessly, "Kale, please stop... don't make me do this..." The edges of Bulma's vision started to turn black and she knew she had no other option. She pulled her Ki Pulse Grenade prototype out and activated it. Just as programmed, the grenade emitted three pulses of varying wavelengths before finding the target's specific frequency and emitting a parabolic pulse that domed out from the device and evaporated before reaching the edge of the ring.

Instantaneously, Bulma felt the hand around her throat shrink and it's grip slacken. As she fell to her knees, she saw Kale crumple into a heap as she shrunk down to her normal size. She collapsed into the dirt of the sparring field, desperately trying to get air into her lungs, her eyes rolling back in her head and consciousness leaving her. She heard a familiar voice call her name and felt herself being lifted in powerful arms and surrounded by the scent of sandalwood and freshly mowed grass before everything went black.

...

Bulma woke in the infirmary, the curtains around her bed drawn, she turned to take in her surroundings when she noticed a figure in the chair next to her bed.

"Queen Sabi!" Bulma gasped as her vision cleared and came into focus.

"You certainly do have a habit of getting yourself into trouble," Sabi said with a sigh.

"I'm so sorry. I had to! I didn't know what else to do! I couldn't snap her out of it. Then she went after Celeri...Is she ok?" Bulma asked hurriedly.

"Celeri will be fine, an afternoon in the healing tanks will do her some good. It's been a while since she took a beating like that, but she shouldn't have let her guard down like that," Sabi explained. After a brief pause, Sabi continued, "You know your use of tech during the tournament will disqualify you, right?"

"Yes," Bulma said dejectedly. "I don't really care. I had to stop her, and I didn't want to hurt her. Kale's my friend. I don't understand what happened!"

"Well," Sabi interrupted, "How were you able to stop her? What was this device?"

"I call it a Ki Pulse Grenade. It isolates the target's ki frequency and emits a pulse that cancels their ki and turns it off like a light switch," Bulma explained.

Sabi contained her astonishment, "You know I'm going to have to keep this weapon, right?"

"Yes," Bulma admitted.

"How were you even able to create this? Surely you weren't able to develop this in one of the Citadel's labs," Sabi said as she eyed the weapon in hand.

"Well... That's because I didn't..." Bulma said hesitantly, as Sabi arched a graceful eyebrow at her in question.

"Kale and I dug out a bunker beneath our barracks, and I used my capsule lab in it. The nanobots connected my lab to the power grid and the data servers. You don't understand! I finished up all my coursework for the entire year! I was so bored! There are only so many books in the library... I needed something to do!" Bulma said defensively.

"I see," Sabi said, quietly hiding her astonishment. "And I'm guessing that your ability to withstand Kale's blows was due to this?" She asked, gesturing to Bulma's bracelets.

Bulma sighed, "Yes. These were originally based on a prototype my father developed, they gather ki and deflect it like a shield. I added the holographic ability and refined the ki shields a bit, but it isn't really my invention." Bulma gave a proud smirk, "But the grenade, that's all me."

Three months at the Citadel and she'd completed all of her coursework for the year and in her spare time dug out a bunker and set up a lab capable of developing a weapon that could turn off a raging Saiyan's ki like a light switch! This child desperately needed a challenge. "Kale hasn't woken up yet to tell us her side of the events, but what do you think happened?" Sabi asked.

Bulma hesitated, she wasn't sure if she was right and it felt wrong to share what she thought her friend was feeling... like a betrayal of privacy. "I think... I think it's all because of a boy," Bulma confessed. Sabi's eyes widened in surprise as Bulma continued, "I think she likes this boy, Cabba, and she thinks he likes me and that I like him... but I don't like him like that. He's nice and fun to be around, but I don't know if I can... I don't have time for boys." Bulma waved her hands dismissively, "It's all pointless, anyway, we aren't the same species, so none of it matters."

Sabi sat there quietly for a moment, "The adolescent phase in young Saiyans can be a tumultuous time of surging hormones and raging emotions. Kale has a rare ability, indeed, and I will address it personally." Sabi sighed as she took Bulma's hand, "But don't let being an outsider prevent you from forming lasting relationships with others. Get some rest, I will return when I've decided on your punishment."

Bulma closed her eyes and tried to relax her aching muscles as she settled down into her bed. She had to admit, that was the most thrilling fight she'd ever had.

...

Kale groaned as she came to in the infirmary, everything ached. It felt as if her entire body had been ripped apart and sewn back together, but the stitches were all loose and tattered. She didn't have the energy to lift her arms and was barely able to turn her head to the figure sitting beside her bed.

"Your Majesty!" Kale gasped, trying to sit up but barely managing more than a full body quiver.

"Shh, Child. Lie still," Sabi said. "I'm just here to ask some questions and get some answers."

Kale choked back a sob, "Is Bulma ok?"

Sabi smiled gently, "Yes, your friend is fine. Can you tell me what happened?"

Kale sniffled as tears rolled down her cheeks uncontrollably, "I shouldn't blame her if she hated me. She tried to tell me, tried to explain... but by that point, I didn't have control anymore," Kale shifted on her bed and groaned.

"Shifting into Oozaru can be... uncomfortable, the first time. It seems you have a rare ability, young Kale," Sabi explained. "You've shown the ability to summon your Oozaru form at will, without the aid of a full moon."

Kale's eyes widened in surprise, but it suddenly made sense. Now she understood why it felt like she wasn't in control of herself, why she acted more like a beast than a warrior.

"But what happened? Typically, this ability shows itself around your age, but there's usually an emotional catalyst that sets it off," Sabi continued.

Kale sniffled back a sob as she began to explain, "I was on my way to the sparring field when I heard Cabba arguing with Vegeta. Cabba said 'I like her and you can't tell me who I can be friends with', then Vegeta told him to stay away from her... I thought they were talking about me..." Kale choked back another sob, "But they weren't, they were talking about Bulma!"

Sabi schooled her features not to show her surprise, Vegeta was being possessive over Bulma? "Are you sure they were arguing over Bulma?"

Kale started crying again, "When Cabba mentioned brothers I knew he wasn't talking about me, I don't have any brothers, just my sister."

"I see," Sabi said. "And then what happened?"

"Then they fought, I didn't see it- I only heard it. I left when I realized..." Kale broke off into sobs again.

Sabi gave a sigh, _how did I end up mothering every Saiyan child on the planet? The cost of being queen,_ she supposed. "Calm yourself young one," Sabi said, stroking Kale's hair comfortingly. "The transition from child to adult is difficult. I was telling Bulma this very thing just a little while ago. Your brain and body are transitioning to adulthood, and these fluctuations in hormones can wreak havoc on your emotions. Given the appearance of your new ability, learning to control your emotions will be essential in mastering it." Sabi could see her words were having an effect, the girl had settled down and was no longer on the verge of tears. "All is not lost, little one. So, this Cabba boy, you do not think he cares for you?"

Kale sighed, "No. They weren't talking about me, but I mean, why would he? I'm not big and strong, I'm not super smart, I'm just insignificant and forgettable," Kale replied dejectedly.

Sabi smiled to herself, "You may not be big now, but you are still young and have room to grow." She said assertively, giving the girl a once-over. "And you are most definitely strong. Bulma is just a child like you, and what makes it so amazing that she was able to defeat you is that you knocked out your instructor."

Kale gasped, "Master Celeri! Is she ok?"

Sabi chuckled, "Yes, yes. You gave her quite the beating. She'll be spending the night in a healing tank. She should be fine to observe the final fight in the First-year Tournament tomorrow." Sabi stood as she continued, "A tournament that you've been knocked out of, unfortunately. You are strong, and you are smart. I've seen your scores and reports, and you are an intelligent female that is neither insignificant nor forgettable. Now, rest, child. Your body had been through a lot today." Sabi grabbed the curtain as she made her exit, "This Cabba boy, he isn't tall and lanky with an adorable dimple in his left cheek that only shows up when he smiles?"

Kale laid back and sighed dreamily, "Yeah."

"Oh, I suppose that was the boy who brought you to the infirmary," Sabi said with a smile as she slipped through the curtain and made her way to her next interrogation.

...

The atmosphere of the small room was stifling and claustrophobia-inducing, despite being near the top of the Citadel's upper-most tower. From here, the office of Commander Komatsuna, the Saiyan in charge of the entire Citadel, you could see all the way to the Capitol. The palace a glittering spec on the horizon in the afternoon sun.

"So, are you going to tell me what's going on?" Sabi asked.

"I have no idea what you're talking about, Mother," Vegeta replied.

"Oh really? So, you're not going to tell me why you were the one who carried her to the infirmary?" Sabi asked pointedly.

Vegeta stood up, beginning to pace the office, "Everyone was standing around dumbfounded! Even Kakarot! Someone had to do something!"

"I see," Sabi said curtly. "And I suppose you aren't going to tell me about that fight with that Cabba boy before the tournament?"

Vegeta jolted to a stop, hoping his heated face wouldn't be noticed, "I have no idea what you're talking about." he said flatly.

"I believe the exact words were 'Stay away from her'?" Sabi quoted as she arched an eyebrow in curiosity.

"He's a liar!" Vegeta said flatly.

"He whom? I don't believe I've had the chance to even talk to that Cabba boy yet," Sabi said as she shifted in her chair.

Vegeta began to pace again, growling to himself as Sabi spoke again, "Are you really going to be less forthcoming with me- your own mother- than the other children I've spoken to? Haven't I earned your trust by giving a piece of myself to bring you into this world?" Sabi asked angrily. _That's right, lay that motherly guilt on thick, maybe he'll finally start talking!_

"Look!" Vegeta finally exploded. "I can't explain it! I don't really understand it. I just feel like we're supposed to protect her. I want to protect her, and I don't even know what I want to protect her from! I like her. I like watching her fight. I like the way she bites her lip while she concentrates on a book she's reading in the library. I want to smile when I think about the way she snorts when she laughs and her nose wrinkles up. I just... I don't know why! She's such an insufferable know-it-all pain in the ass, and I can't stop thinking about how she smells like berries I can't quite recognize!" 

 _Oh my!_ Sabi thought to herself, unprepared for her son to actually let go with so much of himself. He was always such a guarded child, keeping his inner-most thoughts and feelings to himself. She sighed and began her now familiar lecture, "Adolescence is a difficult period in a young Saiyan's life..."

"Mother, spare me your speech on hormones and emotions," Vegeta groaned.

"Good. I've given that speech far too many times today," Sabi sighed as Vegeta gave her a confused look... how many times had she given this speech today, and to whom? "Look, you like her. I understand that. She's intelligent, more so than anyone I've ever met, and she's a skilled fighter, that cannot be denied. She has a spirited personality, and she seems almost Saiyan at times."

"I'm sensing a 'but' coming," Vegeta interrupted.

Sabi glared at her son, "BUT, you are both just children! You are 11 years old. She is 10. You are both far too young to even be considering mates." Sabi paused to take a breath, "Furthermore, you know as well as I do that one day she will return to her people and most likely choose a mate from them."

"So, you're telling me to deny what I feel or prepare myself for rejection, is that it?" Vegeta retorted, his usually stoic face a torrent of swirling emotions.

Sabi sighed as she rose from her chair and walked over to her son, hugging him, "No. Not at all." As her tail wrapped around his waist, deepening their embrace, she continued, "What I'm telling you is, don't try to grow up so fast. You have your whole life ahead of you, right now you need to focus on your education. Be young, be carefree, make new friends... don't be in such a rush to grow up. It's really not worth it," Sabi said with a chuckle.

Sabi released her son from her embrace, "Now, head to your barracks and get ready for the evening meal. I have a punishment to administer before returning to the palace."

Vegeta turned to leave, pausing before opening the door, "Is... she ok?"

Sabi smiled as she answered, "Yes. A few bruises and lumps but no broken bones. I suspect she will be returning to class shortly."

Vegeta hesitated, before nodding and leaving his mother to digest everything she'd discovered that afternoon.

...

Bulma sat up, expecting the evening meal that the nurse had promised was on its way and was surprised by another visit from Queen Sabi. Her solemn face did not bode well, and Bulma fidgeted anxiously as she spoke, "Good evening, your Majesty."

"Surely you know why I'm here," Sabi began.

Bulma nodded her head negatively, completely unaware of what the Queen could be there for.

"As Queen, it is my duty to oversee the overseer of the Citadel. Your... incident... was of the highest importance and needed to be attended to personally. Simply put, it's my job to mete out the punishments for the most severe of infractions," Sabi explained regally.

Bulma's eyes widened with fear, unsure of the consequences of her actions.

Sabi handed Bulma her tablet, the one confiscated during her prank in the Capitol, leaving the girl even more confused than before.

"You have until the beginning of the next week to complete your assignments and catch up with the rest of the class," Sabi said. "I have returned your portable electronic device to make it easier to access such a tremendous workload."

 _It had only been one afternoon! How had I missed any assignments?_ Bulma thought to herself as she took the tablet. She opened the application with her assignments, and replied in confusion, "Your Majesty, I don't understand... I completed all of my assignments... Wait, there must be some mistake. I'm not taking these classes! I haven't even had a class called 'Saiyan Government'," Bulma rambled.

"Yes, that would be your punishment," Sabi explained. "You completed all of your assignments and were complaining of boredom, and this is my solution. Commander Komatsuna and I have moved you up a year in an attempt to challenge you. As of this moment, you are 3 Minor Moon Cycles behind your new classmates."

Bulma sat there, astonished, "Does this mean I have to change barracks?"

Sabi smiled, "I still think you should be housed with females the same age as you, but all of your other classes, including Martial Arts, will be held with Second-years from now on."

Bulma smiled, she was going to be in classes with Kakarot! She was going to stay in her barracks with Kale! Oh... Kale! "Queen Sabi, do you.. is... Is Kale still upset with me?"

Sabi chuckled, "I don't think it was ever really you that Kale was upset about. I think you need to sit down and talk to her, and this Cabba boy, and tell them each how you feel about them. In the end, everything will work itself out. For now, though, you have quite a bit of work to catch up on. I expect you to use your free time productively," Sabi insisted. "And I hope my trust is not misplaced by allowing you to keep your lab a secret," she concluded with a pointed glare that had Bulma quaking between the bed sheets.

"Yes, ma'am," Bulma said reverently.

Their conversation was cut short as the nurse entered with her evening meal, the young girl tucking into her dinner with one hand while starting on her assignments with the other. Sabi smiled to herself, _I'm definitely going to have to keep an eye on this girl._

...

By the end of the next day, Bulma was well enough to return to her barracks. She had spent an entire day under observation, catching up with her new classes. Apparently, her schedule would be reversed, her mornings after breakfast would be spent in Martial Arts followed by a rotation of Saiyan Government and Saiyan Literature. Her afternoons also began with Martial Arts and ended with a rotation of Advanced Mathematics and Advanced Science. Of course, Bulma skimmed through all of the assignments to judge their level of difficulty. One of the first lessons she learned in test-taking techniques was to go through all the questions and answer the easiest questions, coming back to the tougher ones later. Bulma compared the curriculum to what she had learned in cryo-sleep and assignments towards the end, all the courses were around a middle school/ high school level.

Bulma smirked to herself as she went back to her barracks, tablet in tow. She'd already caught up on all of her assignments for Math and Science, then she caught up on Saiyan Literature. Saiyan Government was saved for last because it was the only class the contained new information for her to learn. _Maybe Kakarot can help_ , she thought to herself before snorting at the stupidity of that plan. _Maybe Cabba? No_ , she thought with a frown. _That's definitely a bad plan, I still need to talk to Kale,_ she thought.

As Bulma entered the barracks, she saw Kale sitting in her bunk almost as if she was waiting for her. She sighed as she sat down next to Kale, and the two sat in silence for a few minutes.

"I'm..." Both girls stammered.

They looked up at each other and smiled. Bulma noticed a tear in Kale's eye and felt a surge of emotion for her friend. Despite knowing how reserved Kale was, Bulma reached out and pulled the girl into a hug.

"Are you ok?" Bulma whispered.

Kale hugged her back, "Yeah. Are you?"

Bulma sniffled as she pulled back, "Yeah. Are we ok?"

Kale smiled at Bulma, wiping a tear from her eye, "I'm so sorry I took my anger out on you. It wasn't your fault..."

"I don't like him like that, Kale," Bulma interrupted defensively. "You have to know that."

"Yeah," Kale sighed. "I just don't know if he likes me back. I mean, Queen Sabi told me that he brought me to the infirmary, but that doesn't mean anything. Kakarot carried Master Celeri to the infirmary and it's not like he's in love with her." Kale said with a chuckle echoed with a giggle from Bulma. "And Vegeta was the one who brought you to the infirmary, so..."

 _That was Vegeta??_ Bulma's look of surprise was clear on her face and Kale chuckled, "Right?"

"Well, did you get any 'punishment' from Queen Sabi?" Bulma asked.

"No, but she did say that I need to report to the Science Hall's medical ward for weekly studies to test my new abilities," Kale said. She turned to Bulma, "It sounds like you did?"

"I'm not really sure, she didn't take away my capsule lab and she told me to be 'productive' with my spare time," Bulma replied. Kale's eyebrows shot up in surprise as Bulma continued, "But I dunno how much spare time I'm going to have after catching up on assignments."

"I thought you finished everything for the year already?" Kale asked.

"That's the other part of the 'punishment' I don't understand. They've pushed me up to Second-year classes with Kakarot's class," Bulma frowned. "We'll only be bunk-mates now, but I'll still be there for you if you need help!"

"But you'll be so busy with your own classes!" Kale interrupted.

"Nah, the math and science stuff is a total breeze. Saiyan Literature isn't that hard, I've read almost everything in the library so I've already read all of the required reading. Saiyan Government... it's harder..." Bulma drawled. How could she explain her struggle in this course and not the others? "I suppose I could ask for help, I'm just not sure who to ask." Bulma sighed, "I suppose that's a problem for another day. I have everything caught up with Saiyan Literature, Math, and Science already. I have a lot of assignments left to finish by the time class starts."

Bulma flopped down to begin her required reading that remained, as Kale curled up on her bunk for a well-deserved nap.

...

Bulma had managed to catch up on her classwork for Saiyan Government only minutes before class had started. There was extensive reading required for the class, and it was time-consuming. Sure, she could've cheated and come up with some program to just fill in the answers, but a Briefs doesn't cheat. Her new classmates were surprised when she entered, particularly Vegeta. Kakarot and Cabba had already known, but somehow Vegeta had been left out of the loop. He glared at Cabba as Bulma went up to him after class telling him she needed to talk to him.

Bulma brought Cabba to a rather private spot, a patch of trees at the edge of the central courtyard beneath the tower.

"Cabba, I need to tell you something important," Bulma struggled to say.

Cabba felt suddenly uncomfortable, "You do?"

"Yes," Bulma began her rehearsed speech. "I like you, Cabba. You're fun, you're smart, you're strong..."

Cabba interrupted, "I sense a 'but' coming."

Bulma smiled nervously, "But... I don't like you... like _that_. I want to be friends, but that's all I want."

"Oh," Cabba said.

"We can be friends, right?" Bulma asked cautiously.

Cabba smiled, "Of course we can. I should be honest with you though, after everything that happened, I'm not sure I like you like that anymore."

Bulma laughed, "Well that was fast!"

"No! It's not like that!" Cabba said. "After seeing Kale fight... that was... amazing. She's a seriously awesome fighter," he said, a goofy smile on his face that she hadn't seen before. "After seeing her fight I started to wonder if maybe my ... infatuation... wasn't as organic as I thought."

Bulma's brow crinkled in confusion, "What do you mean?"

"I'm not sure how much of it was really that I liked you like that, or Vegeta being all possessive and not wanting me to be around you," Cabba admitted.

"What?!?' Bulma gaped.

"Yeah, he didn't want any of the other boys to talk to you. It was like, the more he pushed me to stay away from you, the more I was drawn to you," Cabba said sheepishly.

Bulma doubled over in laughter, choking out between gasps, "You boys... are so dumb!" _No matter what species_ , she thought to herself.

Cabba rolled his eyes at her, "Yeah yeah, whatever. Are we just here so you can laugh at me?"

Bulma caught her breath, "No, I wanted to set things straight with you, and I didn't want to wait. I'm struggling with classes a bit, but I didn't want all of that looming over my head and distracting me."

Like a true friend, Cabba sought to help, "Where are you struggling? Maybe I can help? Is it Math?"

Bulma chuckled, poor clueless boy, "No, actually I'm almost done with all the coursework for Mathematics and Science. Saiyan Literature isn't hard, but Government..."

"Yeah, I guess growing up as a nomad you didn't get a lot of exposure to government and politics," Cabba said as the pair made their way to the Serving Hall. Bulma cringed at the lie as it came from his lips.

They arrived to find Kale and Kakarot waiting for them and sat down, Bulma opposite Kale and next to Kakarot, while Cabba sat next to Kale, across from Kakarot. Their conversation had caused them to arrive late, the serving platters of food had already arrived.

"So, how are the new classes coming?" Kale asked after loading her plate.

Bulma sighed, "I hate this conversation." She stabbed her knife into the pile of meat on her plate, exclaiming, "And I absolutely HATE Saiyan Government."

"You should be careful what you say," a familiar voice said from behind her. "That kind of talk could land you in prison for treason."

"Hey!" Kakarot laughed as Vegeta sat down next to Bulma and began to serve himself. "I bet Vegeta could help you with that Saiyan Government stuff! He's top of the class."

Vegeta let out a noncommital "Tch!"

Bulma sighed. "Vegeta doesn't want to waste his time helping me," she took a bite of her food.

"That depends," Vegeta asked brusquely. "What's in it for me?"

Bulma paused, mid-chew, and stared at him. Surely he didn't need tutelage. What could she offer?  "Would you take an 'I owe you'?"

The conversation drifted among the group as the dined, and just before they went their separate ways, Vegeta turned to Bulma.

"We will meet in the library after dinner for 45 minutes every day until you feel comfortable with your progress in Saiyan Government," he said coolly.

"You will?" Bulma asked in amazement.

"Who else but the prince of Saiyans should tutor you on Saiyan Government?" He asked haughtily, his smirk giving away his humor.

...

Days turned to weeks, those weeks turning into Minor Moon Cycles, and Final Exams were closing in. Bulma and Vegeta's tutoring sessions continued, each 'session' becoming a compare and contrast of other government types. She learned that after the great Saiyan/Tuffle Civil war 5,000 years prior, the Vegeta dynasty began. Their system of government was similar to the parliamentary systems of some of the countries on Earth. The king and royal family had earned the right to lead the people through strength, and his role was similar to that of a supreme General of all the planet's military resources. The queen also had her role to fill with caring for the children of the planet and training them for their rightful place in society. Their 'parliament' consisted of a group of elected officials who represented the people, wrote the law, and served as judges in the lesser courts. 

What bothered Bulma was the close association with Freiza and his empire and troubled her greatly. While on paper, it seemed like the Saiyans were loyal allies of Freiza's Empire, the fact of it all was that the Saiyans were essentially slave warriors. It came down to simple numbers, and Saiyans simply didn't have the numbers to effectively rebel. So the Saiyans fought and kill for Frieza, and in the end, their planet is spared.

 _Not much of a trade off, if you ask me,_ Bulma considered. 

Nothing made Bulma feel as relieved as when she finally finished her assignments and testing for not just Saiyan Government, but all her classes. She was done! She had finished, in one academic year, what no other Saiyan ever had. She would be the youngest to ever graduate from the Citadel in its 3,000-year history. She had smirked to herself when she had gotten the letter assigning her to the Science Hall next year, of course. Beginning her Third year at the Citadel meant classification into a specialization, but also access to better laboratories and equipment. Nothing anywhere near on par with Bulma's capsule lab, but a 'shiny new toy' nonetheless.

Her first assignment was left on her tablet, "Make a discovery or invent something to revolutionize life on Vegetasei."

Her mind was already grinding out ideas as she packed up her capsule lab from its hidden chamber, and collected the rest of her things.

She would be quite busy when she returned to Bardock and Gine's island.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not beta'd.  
> Y'all are my betas.  
> Point out any errors for me to fix!
> 
> sorry about the lack of art!


	10. The Citadel: Year Three?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Technically Bulma's 2nd year, even if she is in 3rd year classes.  
> Stuff happens. No one dies.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am SO sorry how long this took. Lotsa of stuff happening. I work 'customer service' and Labor Day was a BEAR. I was sent to manage some shifts at other stores, and worked a split shift... 15 hours of OT on my check. *sigh*  
> Biggest distraction was my anniversary and Rosh Hashanah.  
> This chapter ballooned, I had to move stuff to another chapter... it was 7300 words before I even realized how much more I had left.  
> *sigh*  
> so, sorry for the wait!

Bulma soaked up the afternoon sun, sprawled out on a blanket in the sand, listening to the sounds of the waves crashing gently on the shore. She had promised Kakarot an entire day off to relax and have fun before jumping back into training. They swam in the ocean, ate some bivalves that tasted similar to scallops for lunch, and Bulma had taught Kakarot how to surf in the gentle waves. She couldn't help herself, despite the soothing sounds of the waves on the shore and the warm sun, her mind wandered to the project she had to complete before the beginning of the next term.

_"Make a discovery or invent something to revolutionize life on Vegetasei."_

_UGH, what a HORRIBLE assignment! SO open-ended. I mean, revolutionize? What do they even mean by that? ANYTHING I give them would revolutionize Vegetasei!_ Bulma thought to herself. She had plenty of ideas, but hearing her mother's advice in her head, she decided to stay low-key. _I can't invent a new weapon, that won't work. I'm not ready to give up my ki shields or my holograms yet,_ she considered. _Maybe I'll just take it easy and build something I already know_...

"Stop it, Bulma," Kakarot groaned.

"Stop what?" Bulma asked innocently.

"You're thinking so loudly I can hear you from here," Kakarot groaned.

"I can't help it! It doesn't turn off, even when I'm sleeping," Bulma sighed.

"You're weird," Kakarot said, getting up to stretch. "Well, since your brain won't shut up about it, what are you working on now?"

Like a yawn, Bulma felt herself needing to stretch, bringing her arms languidly over her head, "I have to produce something revolutionary... and there are so many things I could make, the tough part is picking out one. I mean, the lab's all set up and ready to go, but none of the projects I currently have running are good ideas."

Kakarot gave her a curious look, "How so?"

Bulma scoffed, "I highly doubt that weapons and explosives are appropriate. Besides, I was planning on hoarding them for myself."

Kakarot considered the implications of Bulma hoarding weapons and explosives, unsure of why she would need to do such a thing before dismissing the thought entirely. "Seems you've got the exact opposite problem that I have."

Bulma arched an eyebrow in curiosity, asking him to continue.

Kakarot sighed as he began practicing katas, "How am I supposed to double my power level?"

Bulma stood and stretched, joining him in his katas, "Well, where are you at right now?"

"42," Kakarot grunted. "You?"

Bulma chuckled, "My power level doesn't matter, I just told you I have a laboratory full of weapons and explosives."

Kakarot sighed, "Exactly. How do I get stronger?"

Bulma sighed back, "I don't know! On my planet, sometimes they trained with weighted clothing."

"That's dumb," Kakarot said, rolling his eyes.

Bulma knocked his feet out from under him before he could return his gaze to her.

"It is NOT dumb!" Bulma said.

"Well, how did YOU get to learn the stuff you did?" Kakarot asked, shaking the sand from his hair.

Bulma frowned, "I trained in a virtual reality simulator for four years while I was in cryogenic sleep."

"I guess that's not any kind of option, since they took your pod," Kakarot sighed.

"Well, they took the pod so I don't have the virtual reality or the cryo-sleep chamber," Bulma said as she began pacing. "I have everything I need to recreate the program... with holograms and ki shields... I think there were some plans in the database for a gravity generator that Dad was working on..."

Kakarot sat in the sand watching as Bulma ranted and paced, smiling up at her. He found it so amusing to see her like this, for who she was. Since they arrived home she had ceased using her hologram and was back to her blue-haired, blue-eyed self. She wasn't a Saiyan, and sometimes he forgot that.

"But this will take a week or so to finish after I get the parts I need... where do I get the parts? I can't just manufacture metals... well, I mean I could, but it would take FOREVER..." Bulma ranted.

"Mom can help you with the requisition paperwork for your project. It just needs to be submitted to the Commander of the Science Hall," Kakarot noted. "But... what are you making, again?"

"I am helping you double your power level by making a place for you to train," Bulma stared at him, dumbfounded that he wasn't able to keep up. "I'm going to work on a gravity generator since weighted clothing is 'dumb'," she glared at Kakarot before continuing. "So all of you will be heavier. I still have the martial arts program my parents developed and can create a holographic projection for you to spar with."

Kakarot gave her a blank stare, the entire thing going completely over his head.

Bulma sighed, "I guess you just need to have faith in me, huh?"

Kakarot smiled, sprawling out in the sand, "Yeah, I suppose I do."

"Let's bring Gine some fish, maybe helping with dinner will make her more willing to help me with submitting my forms," Bulma said.

...

Bulma didn't realize that the application to requisition resources included a full scientific thesis, thoroughly explaining what it was she was working on, it's purpose, as well as detailed schematics. She was nervous about giving away patented Capsule Corp technology, but rationalized to herself- what did it really matter? Everyone's dead. Is someone going to report her to the patent office? Good luck finding it.

Within a week, her application was accepted and the requisitioned supplies arrived. She sat back in satisfaction at her completed capsule, replacing the typical Capsule Corp logo with the royal family's crest. She figured a little ass-kissing might get her somewhere, and her invention would no doubt be seized by the government anyway for study and manufacture. On the other capsule was the crest of Kakarot's family, her gift to him for being such a great friend. She took her capsule project, and the completed files that included her application a log of her manufacturing it, and a full 4,000-word dissertation on her invention.

She's killed two proverbial birds with one stone, though making both capsules at the same time. Heck, Kakarot's 'gym' as she was coming to call it, was all but complete. She just needed to finish the holographic display grid and sync it with the ki shield generators- so the holograms could actually hit back, and install the gravity generator. By the time she finished with her tweaking, Kakarot seemed to be losing his mind in anticipation. Almost hourly interruptions of, "Are you done yet?" were being matched with thrown tools of various assortment.

He was practically beside himself when his question was answered with a "yes".

She powered up the holograms and the martial arts UI, and Kakarot jumped like a startled cat when the tall, lithe, blonde woman with blue eyes and bouncing curls suddenly appeared.

"Is that?" Kakarot asked, attempting to touch the hologram and getting a handful of air.

"<Hello, Mother>," Bulma said.

"<Hello, Bulma. Are you ready to train today?>" Mother asked.

"<No. Today my friend,> Kakarot, <will be training>," Bulma said.

Kakarot perked up at the mention of his name, "Hey! No fair! Why doesn't she speak Saiyago?"

Bulma rolled her eyes, and began typing furiously at the control panel, "God! You're such a baby!"

"Hello, Kakarot," Mother said. "Would you like to train today?"

"Yes!" Kakarot cheered as both he and Mother took battle stances.

Sensing her work for the day was complete, Bulma packed up her tools and started working on the finishing touches on the gravity generator. Just for shits and giggles, once she had it online she turned it on, tripling the gravity within the chamber. She heard the distinct clatter of Kakarot hitting the floor, followed by his bellowing.

"BULMA!"

"Oh, You're still in there?" Bulma hollered back.

"YOU KNOW I WAS STILL IN HERE! I'm stuck to the floor and I can't move!" Kakarot groaned.

Bulma laughed, "I'LL GET RIGHT ON IT, JUST HANG IN THERE!"

_Well, he wanted to be stronger,_ Bulma thought to herself. _Let's see if he can get himself out of it._ "I need you to hit the emergency shut off, it's on the console near the door!" Bulma called.

"THAT'S ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE ROOM!" Kakarot yelled.

"You can do it!" Bulma chuckled. She could easily turn the gravity off but thought Kakarot was in dire need of a challenge. After about 30 minutes Kakarot had finally managed to hit the emergency switch and kill the gravity generator, and he came stumbling out of the chamber. She laughed as she scanned his power level, 12.8! "Your power level is even lower than mine! Maybe it's time to get some dinner and call it a day."

The next day Bulma went to test and maintain the gym, and as Kakarot warmed up and began sparring with Mother, Bulma scanned his power level, "Kakarot! You're up! Oh my GOD! You were at 12.8 last night, and 42 the other day... you're at 55!"

Kakarot turned to look at Bulma, and in his distraction Mother knocked him to the floor. "Pause simulation!" he called, picking himself off the ground. "What?" He called as he rushed over to Bulma, who was already searching for answers.

"WOW! It turns out that when Saiyans take a serious beating, they get a power boost upon recovery! It's called the 'Zenkai Boost' and based on your current power level and the degree to which you've taken damage, you end up with a sometimes exponential power increase!" Bulma quoted to him.

"I guess I feel stronger," Kakarot shrugged, "There are a few things that aren't working. I need to feel something when I land a hit, or when my blows are blocked. Can you give the hologram a shell to interact with?"

Bulma's eyes lit up, "That's a great idea!" She began scribbling notes on her tablet as Kakarot continued.

"And, no offense, but can you change the hologram? It's kind of creepy and distracting..." Kakarot rambled, "She has your eyes."

Bulma smiled sadly, "I know." She sighed as she scribbled on her tablet again.

Over the remainder of the week, Bulma did some fine tuning on the 'Gravity Chamber' as Kakarot preferred to call it. She had uploaded her hologram database, and Mother could now wear the holographic images of Gine, Bardock, Raditz, Kakarot, and even Vegeta. They still fought using Mother's original programming, but the voice that came matched the hologram. She'd managed to lock the gravity at 10 times Vegetasei's gravity, and Kakarot was now training under twice the planet's gravity.

...

A full Minor Moon Cycle had passed, and Vegeta hadn't heard anything from Kakarot. Ever since the human girl arrived on their planet, he had felt a rift forming between himself and his best friend. It made him feel hurt and angry. He had tried to re-establish bonds of friendship during their year at the Citadel, but somehow the human girl was always there... with her infuriating know-it-all attitude and cloying scent. That scent that drove him away in its sweetness made him want to smell it more thoroughly and identify it. It was sweet and fruity but unlike any fruit he'd ever tasted before. It didn't smell like any Saiyan female he'd ever met, whose various scents ranged from floral to musky, but never a sweet scent like this. It almost made his mouth water and his stomach growl.

Upon his ascension to the Hall of Kings, the prince was sworn to secrecy about discussions and assignments. He would hide behind the guise of friendship to accomplish his assignment to "understand what drives the people". He'd already found that, in his wanderings of the Capitol, people spoke and reacted differently when they were in his presence. Maybe things would be different around Kakarot's family. They tended to be more open and honest than your average Saiyan on the street. With the Queen's, and King's, permission he flew to Bardock and Gine's island. They were so busy preparing his younger brother, Tarble, for his first year at the Citadel they wouldn't even notice he was gone.

He tried to soothe the anger he still felt at being assigned to the Hall of Kings. With his power level and skill, he would be top of his class if he'd been in the Hall of Warriors with Kakarot. He'd petitioned his mother at the, in his opinion, apparent mismatch but was rebuffed. She explained that being a warrior was about more than just the ability and desire to fight, being chosen for the hall of Kings was an honor and it was his duty as Prince to study there. He had ended the year significantly higher than Kakarot, but he'd managed to maintain his lead in power level, he thought to himself with a smirk.

His hopes of maintaining that lead vanished as he drew closer to Kakarot's home and noticed new buildings in a strange and new architecture. As he landed, he recognized the one dome as being Bulma's private laboratory but the other building that was designed in an obviously similar style to the lab was humming and thrumming with energy. He made his way to the entrance when the door shot open and he was met with Kakarot's sweaty faced grin.

"I told you I felt Vegeta coming!" he called back into the chamber.

"Good! Another test subject!" a familiar voice called from within. "Tell him to come in and take a seat!"

Vegeta entered the chamber to find Bulma standing in front of a console typing away. He was taken aback at seeing her in her true colors, surprised that she wasn't wearing her hologram. He was easily distracted from the thought as he noticed Raditz standing idly in the center of the room.

"What's he doing here?" Vegeta asked.

After a brief pause, Kakarot and Bulma broke out laughing, and Vegeta scowled at them, and Bulma explained the room, its purpose, and the hologram of Raditz before him.

"You're kidding!" Vegeta said in disbelief.

"Have a seat, tough guy," Bulma said with a smirk, shoving him into a seat, "Mother, engage simulation."

Raditz began sparring with Kakarot using techniques that were not Saiyan in origin. 

"You named your computer 'Mother'?" Vegeta asked.

"No," Bulma said quietly. "I didn't."

Vegeta wasn't sure quite what she meant- if she didn't, who did?

Bulma cleared her throat, "Ok, Kakarot, I'm going to test your ability to focus. Do your best!"

Vegeta watched as mid-punch Raditz's form shimmered and changed into Gine. He saw Kakarot hesitate and duck out of his intended attack as Gine went on the offensive. _What the hell is going on_ , Vegeta thought to himself. Kakarot found a break in her offense and gave a counter attack to push her back. He looked over to Bulma who was watching Kakarot fight, as he heard the sounds of battle lul into a steady rhythm he saw her smirk and touch the control panel. He turned back to Kakarot, who was suddenly battling Bardock! This time, Kakarot didn't miss a beat, the shift not fazing him at all. Vegeta turned back to Bulma who was now frowning, and he couldn't help but chuckle. She met his eyes as she heard him chuckle and gave him a hard glare. He saw Bulma typing away furiously on the console before moving to a different console a few feet away from where he was sitting.

"Is that the best you've got?" Kakarot called to Bulma.

Vegeta eyed Bulma, who was now outright glaring at Kakarot, "Well, if you're gonna be cocky... Mother, engage simulation 'vertigo'."

Vegeta watched Kakarot, as he steadily defended blows from his opponent, who kept shifting form every handful of blows. Vegeta is impressed at his speed, his strength, but most certainly his skill. He moves flawlessly... until Bulma cackles evilly and gravity throws Vegeta down into his chair. He strains to lift his head only to see a reversal of fortune and Kakarot is suddenly on the receiving end of aggressive blows before hitting the ground. The simulated opponent returned to its starting position and stood idly.

"Ok, Bulma! You've proven your point! You can kill the gravity now!" Kakarot called from the floor.

"Hey! It's an improvement! You lasted an entire minute this time," Bulma called cheerfully.

Vegeta felt an immense pressure release him, "What was THAT?"

"That," Bulma said with an edge of pride, "is my 'gravity generator'."

Vegeta raised an eyebrow in question, wanting more information.

Bulma sighed, "It increases the gravity within the room. Kakarot over here just had a dose of two times Vegetasei's gravity."

Vegeta was impressed, "Is this your project for the Science Hall?"

"Oh GOD no!" Bulma said with a chuckle. "This was just for fun." She smiled at the inquisitive look on Vegeta's face, "Would you like to give it a go?"

Vegeta gave a small smirk, "Sure. I'll give it a test."

"Mother, a new... friend, Vegeta, would like to train with you today," Bulma said hesitantly as Vegeta stepped up to the hologram of Raditz, the hologram the program had randomly landed on before going into standby mode. "Let's just take you through the full simulation," she said.

The hologram shimmered and Vegeta found himself facing... himself! It was an odd sensation, one he had little time to consider before the opponent struck. That was when Vegeta realized, it looked like him, but it didn't fight like him.

Bulma must have seen his hesitancy, as slight as it was, "Kakarot likes to start off fighting you."

Vegeta smirked and didn't even notice Kakarot's toothy grin. Vegeta had observed his opponent and once he'd started seeing moves that were familiar, seeing the pattern to the fight, his opponent shifted to Bardock.

"So, does that mean you think I'm stronger than your father?" Vegeta asked 

"Nah, I just like going from an opponent smaller than I am to one bigger than I am," Kakarot said teasingly.

"Tch!" Vegeta grunted, losing his focus and having to dodge a blow that he could have easily blocked if he'd been more focused. "What else have you got?"

The pace picked up as Bulma changed opponents again to Gine, and again to Raditz before finally turning into Kakarot. He fought the simulation for a while longer, before piping up again, "So that's all of them?"

"No, are you ready for the vertigo challenge?" Bulma asked.

"Bring it on," Vegeta said with a grin.

Bulma began the program, watching Vegeta fight gracefully against every opponent. She increased the frequency of opponent change, randomizing it so that Vegeta had to focus on the moves and not who was using them. Vegeta was so focused, he didn't see her plugging new commands into the console, and suddenly his opponent changed from Gine to a different female. Tall and lithe, with yellow hair like he'd never seen before with familiar looking curls. He blocked blow after blow but when he met her blue eyes, he left an opening in his defenses and was met with a powerful blow to the chin.

"Who is that?" Vegeta asked.

"That's Mother," Bulma said proudly.

Mother wasted no time for Vegeta to raise a defense, immediately doling out a flurry of kicks and punches. There was enough of a pause between blows that Vegeta was able to get in a powerful kick that sent Mother sprawling across the chamber. Her form shifted as she rose, her blonde curls turning black as she turned to face him. It wasn't the 'Mother' hologram anymore; it was Saiyan Bulma. Vegeta was caught off guard, and the opponent charged. Vegeta could feel his muscles burning and something inside him protested at the prospect of hitting Bulma, he went on the defensive again as Saiyan Bulma rained down blow after blow. By now Vegeta was familiar enough with the simulation's techniques that he found an opening and was able to counterattack. Blow after blow of his was blocked by the simulated Saiyan when suddenly the hologram's colors began to flicker from black to blue. Distracted, Vegeta gaped as the simulation performed a spinning roundhouse kick knocking Vegeta flat on the floor.

Sweat was pouring from his face as he caught his breath, not even bothering to pull himself up he was so exhausted.

"Crap!" Bulma called. "I guess some of my holograms still need work."

"That was AWESOME! Vegeta, you've got to try it with the gravity on! And we learned about this thing... a Zenkai boost!" Kakarot began explaining everything when Bulma interrupted.

"I'm starving, you guys want to get something to eat?" she asked, preparing to leave the gravity chamber.

"Tch! When has Kakarot ever turned down food?" Vegeta said as his friend offered him a hand up from the floor. 

 ...

"And that's how the storage capsules are able to hold such a large volume of contents in such a small space," Bulma concluded her presentation. "Shall I continue with a demonstration?"

"Yes, please," Instructor Daikon said excitedly.

"I'm afraid we don't have enough space in here, so if everyone could please follow me out to the terrace I will show you all how much this capsule can hold," Bulma explained.

The small class of students filed outside to the terrace, and with great fanfare, Bulma clicked the button on the end of the capsule and tossed it high in the air over the terrace. With a loud 'bamf!' and a cloud of vapor dissipated to reveal thousands of gallons of seawater suspended in the air... before gravity took hold and sent it crashing down like a cascading waterfall from their terrace up on the northern face of the Citadel's tower. Gasps from her audience had her brimming with pride until she looked down at the yelling coming from below. A smattering of students below were shouting angrily around a rather spectacular splatter mark on the terrace far below them.

"I believe that was an... impressive enough demonstration. Let's return to the lab and continue with presentations," Instructor Daikon said, quickly leading his students back to class.

Bulma followed her peers back, noting a few smiles and nods of approval. She was feeling confident this first week of school. All of her classes now revolved around science and mathematics, no more worries about Saiyan government or literature. The rest of the break between terms had flown by, tinkering on new projects, Vegeta came by regularly to spar with Kakarot and challenge the holograms she created.

She would meet her group of friends for every meal: Kakarot, Kale, Cabba, and even Vegeta. It surprised even her that she mentally considered Vegeta as a friend. As she sat eating her lunch, surrounded by her rag-tag group of friends, she felt a sense of family and belonging that she hadn't felt since the destruction of her planet, and almost forgot that she wasn't as much a Saiyan as anyone else on the planet.

...

Vegeta grumbled into his meal, not looking at anyone as he retreated into his mind. How could he fail? He'd never failed, at ANYTHING... ever! He did his best to hide his feelings, and no one seemed to notice aside from Bulma who kept eyeing him curiously. He let out a sigh as Kale and Cabba left, and Bulma turned to him once they'd gotten out of earshot she turned to him.

"Are you going to talk about it?" Bulma asked with a hint of irritation.

"Talk about what?" Vegeta said dismissively.

"Whatever it is that has your tail in a knot and put you in such a sour mood," Bulma said, giving him a stare that he couldn't bring his eyes to meet.

Vegeta poked at his food dejectedly, refusing to answer her question. Bulma reached over and put her hand over his.

"Look, we can't help you if you don't tell us what the problem is," Bulma said, the concern in her voice urging him to look in her eyes. He could see genuine concern and care in her gaze, and it made a crack in the walls he'd put around himself to distance himself from people.

Vegeta sighed, "I did... poorly, on my project. My instructor said that he would allow me to revise it and resubmit it by the end of the year."

"Well, that's not so bad!" Bulma quickly chimed in. "You have a chance to learn and grow. A chance to improve yourself and get better!"

"Tch" Vegeta said as he went back to poking around at the food on his plate.

"Well, what can you tell us about this project? Maybe we can help," Kakarot said, swallowing a mouthful of food. "Bulma helped me double my power level over the break, and I helped her narrow down her idea for her project. It's what friends do, they help each other."

Vegeta sighed, "We're supposed to understand what drives the people."

Bulma quirked an eyebrow, "And what did you say?"

Vegeta shrugged, "I gave the responses I got."

"Well, what did _they_ say?" Kakarot asked around a mouthful of noodles.

"Loyalty to the king and queen, their empire," Vegeta replied.

Bulma chuckled, "And you believed them?" Vegeta looked at her questioningly and she replied, "What else do you think they're going to tell the Prince!"

Vegeta sat there in silence, considering the situation as he chewed his food in contemplation. He was who he was, how could he get an honest answer if all people saw is the prince?

"I suppose I could let you borrow one of my hologram bracelets," Bulma considered. "You could wear a hologram to the Capitol, try again, and see what kind of responses you get." Bulma's face lit up, "You could make an experiment of it! See how people respond to the question from Bardock or Gine, see how they respond."

Kakarot looked up at her from his almost empty plate. "That's actually a really good idea, Vegeta."

"I'm glad you agree because I think you should go with him," Bulma said, taking a sip of water.

"Awwwww," Kakarot groaned. "What do I care what the people think? I have training to do!"

"Well think of it as a different kind of training!" Bulma snapped. "What kind of warrior are you if you don't know who and what you're fighting for?"

Kakarot and Vegeta ate the remainder of their meal in silence, appropriately mollified. 

...

Vegeta and Kakarot had traveled to the Capitol a handful of times since Bulma had allowed him to borrow her holographic bracelet. Their first trip he wore Bardock's hologram, the second time he went as Gine, and the third time as Raditz. Each time he noticed conversations were different, despite covering the same subject. Males seemed less open to expressing themselves to a female, while females would openly discuss their thoughts and feelings to 'Gine'. Males conversed differently when he was Bardock and Raditz, even from how they conversed with him as Gine. There was a respect for Gine and Bardock that wasn't there for Raditz. 

Seeing his people through the eyes of others was an enlightening experience that had his silent contemplation confused for being sullen. He didn't feel like he had any more of an idea what to do about his report than he had at the beginning of the term. So when Kakarot told him that he was ordered for mandatory training and couldn't go, Vegeta was prepared to go on his own as he met with Bulma to retrieve the bracelet.

"Where's Kakarot?" Bulma asked before handing off the bracelet.

"He isn't coming," Vegeta said, holding his hand out impatiently.

"Well, you can't go alone!" Bulma said defiantly.

"I don't need a chaperone!" Vegeta said gruffly.

Bulma laughed, "You most certainly do! I can only imagine the brawls your temper will get you into!"

"Tch!" Vegeta replied dismissively.

"Look, I'm free this afternoon," Bulma offered. "I was just tinkering around in the lab, nothing major. I can come with you."

"But you can't even fly," Vegeta interjected.

"Well, then I guess you'll have to fly us both," Bulma said. "Unless you don't think you're strong enough to carry us both," she said with a sly grin.

Their afternoon in the Capitol gave Vegeta a new understanding and broadened his perspective. He opted to go with Kakarot's hologram, and let Bulma do most of the interacting while he observed. He noted how they treated her differently than they had treated him or any of the other holograms he'd used. He was starting to see his fellow Saiyans as more than just 'subjects', but individuals with specific desires and needs that drove them. They had stopped at a shop and purchased some drinks as Bulma continued to point out the social interactions between others, explaining their body language.

"When I was little, my mother would take me out to 'people watch', she'd explain how people talk with more than just their words," Bulma said as she sipped her drink. She nodded to the couple at the table across from them, "Look at them. She is clearly not as into him as he is to her."

Vegeta observed the couple, completely clueless as to what she meant.

Bulma leaned in closely to whisper, and not be overheard talking about other people. "See how he has himself all over her? He has his arm draped over her shoulder, leaning into her. His tail is twitching around her defensively..." Bulma looked to see if Vegeta noticed and when his brow furrowed she continued, "Now look at her. Her tail is coiled up, her arms crossed over her chest... clearly defensive, she doesn't like him being that close."

She smiled as his eyes got wide in realization, and as Vegeta noticed how close she was he jumped back. At the sound of thunder rumbling in the distance, Bulma suggested they hurry back to avoid the storm. When they got back to the Citadel, Vegeta returned the bracelet.

"I kinda had fun today," Bulma said, taking the bracelet and placing it back on her wrist.

"You could come with me next time...If you want," Vegeta offered.

"I'd love to see more of the Capitol," Bulma said with a shy smile.

...

As the weeks passed, Bulma went with Vegeta to the Capitol for each of his outings. She saw a different side of him that she'd ever seen before, even if it was hidden beneath a hologram. She could see that he was learning more about the people, and in turn was learning more about himself. She was starting to see what Kakarot saw in him. She remembered him trying to explain Vegeta to her before. He built walls up around himself that Kakarot had been there to see built. That as you earn his trust he lets his guard down but will put it back up around people he doesn't know.

She'd offered to help him write his paper since the end of term Tournament was coming. They had spent so much time in the Capitol that she was sure Vegeta hadn't had nearly as much time to train as others in their year. However, every time she brought it up his face turned red and he would quickly change the subject. The last time she had offered was a few days prior, the tournament was closing in, and he had so vehemently rebuffed her offer that she was deeply hurt and offended. He hadn't spoken to her since and even avoided her at meals, causing her pain to fester with anger. Hadn't she earned his trust by now? Why couldn't he trust her to help him with this? She decided, after another meal of Vegeta avoiding her and eating with other students from the Hall of Kings, that she was going to get some answers. On her own.

Later that evening, Bulma was in her lab at the console hacking into the Citadel's servers. After about 20 minutes of searching, she found it- the paper Vegeta had originally submitted at the beginning of the term.

"That arrogant bastard!" Bulma yelled as she read his report. No wonder he hadn't let her read it! "Blind devotion to the royal family", "unquestioning of their rule"? She couldn't believe what she was reading! Of all the egotistic, self-centered, sanctimonious bullshit! He thought the people's sole purpose was service to the king and crown, the weak submitting to the strong.

She stood from the console and began to pace. She couldn't' consider this without seeing it from a Saiyan point of view. The strong dominate the weak; the powerful lead by showing force.

Well, if that's how this egotistical megalomanic wanted to play this, she'd teach him a thing or two.

She'd been developing a new battle tech based on the ki cannon's design, that she planned to incorporate into her holographic bracelets. This could allow her to fire ki blasts directly from her hands, and increase her power level. She got started on her designs, and within hours she had a functional prototype. Functional. Bulma freaking Briefs did not settle for functional. Over the course of the next week, she was holed up in her lab, having epiphanies. Whenever she tried to use the power level increase function, the hologram shorted out. By transferring the holographic hardware to something else, she was able to increase the abilities of the bracelets. Using the ring she wore since her first bath on Vegetasei, she incorporated her nanobots into it creating a hologram ring. It was small, but that was all it needed to do. It freed up her bracelets to return to their original purpose: War. 

War against archaic ways of thought.

War against megalomania.

War against anyone who couldn't find strength in weakness.

She fired a few test bolts at the target dummy and realized that after thorough testing and trials if the ki output was too strong it could still interfere with her hologram.

As the day of the End of Term Tournament came, Bulma was prepared to face her opponents. She had studied everyone's techniques, and based on the previous two tournaments her Year had hosted she expected that the female champion would face off against Vegeta... and she was counting on it.

Unlike the previous tournament she'd fought in, she had no emotional attachments to her opponents. Ki bolts were allowed, but this wasn't an all-out cage match. No flying, and no points. One shot, that's all you got. 

She was going to make every shot count. 

In her first skirmish, she didn't even have to use her new abilities. Bulma was pleasantly pleased when her first two bouts were won with her skill and speed alone. Her final two matches had her returning fire after deflecting a ki blast with a block and her ki shields. She found that the majority of Saiyans relied on brute strength to win their battles, and she was already showing them that it wouldn't be enough against some foes. She took the title of Female Champion, to the disgrace of the Hall of Warriors students, whose male counterparts jeered at being beaten by a 'weakling scientist'.

As she came to battle Vegeta, she thought to herself, _I will show them all what a 'weakling scientist' can do!_

...

 Vegeta won each of his matches with ease, the only real challenge he faced was the final match against Kakarot. While Kakarot had made exponential gains in power and skill, Vegeta had reached a plateau. Despite the lack of personal growth and development, his own strength and skill led to a win after a long-fought match with Kakarot. He had been so focused on his own battles that he had been astonished when Bulma made it to the finals and won. His brain scrambled to remember her techniques and how to counter them, formulating plan after plan... but deep inside he knew it was pointless. Her intelligence made her a wild-card, her actions even more unpredictable. Her fighting skill and ability to strategize was certainly on par with him, if not better.

As they met in the ring, Vegeta's heart hammered in his chest. The fierce look on her face stirring him into competition, a sense of true competition filling the ring. Win or lose, this was a battle he would enjoy.

They took their positions in the ring, setting their stances when a booming voice called out...

"BEGIN!"

Vegeta waited for Bulma to make the first move and was thrown off-guard when the dropped a barrage of ki-bolts just in front of him at his feet.

_When did she learn to do that?_ Vegeta thought to himself. _I should've paid more attention to her fights!_ He watched her through the cloud of debris she had kicked up with her blasts, noting that the ki blast wasn't emanating from her, but from the bracelets she wore. As she faded from view in the debris cloud, Vegeta realized it was a smoke-screen... far too late. Bulma had tackled him from the side and took a dominant grappling hold. Wrapping an arm under his chin and locking it in place with her other arm, she pinned his arms with her legs. It was enough to immobilize but not incapacitate... she didn't have the strength behind it to actually knock him out as she had obviously planned.

"I read your paper," she hissed in his ear. "And I know why you failed."

His guard slipped, and Bulma's grip around his neck tightened. _How had she gotten access? Well, that's a stupid question,_ he thought to himself.

"For someone so smart, you really just don't get it," Bulma rambled.

Vegeta tried everything to get her off, rolling on the ground trying to shake her loose.

"You think 'might is right', that the weak should submit, and that subjects serve the crown," she hissed in his ear. "But that's all wrong."

He continued thrashing, but Bulma was steadfast and held on.

"Just because you're stronger, doesn't give you the right to abuse the weak," she grunted as he continued to shake her loose. "The weak shouldn't be expected to submit. The strong need to prove their trust first!"

Vegeta was stuck, he couldn't get out of her grapple. He just couldn't figure out a way out. It was a stalemate, Bulma unable to release, and Vegeta unable to escape... both caught in the same trap.

Vegeta chuckled to himself, remembering a cheap trick he'd learned from Kakarot. Unfurling his tail and reaching for anything he could, Vegeta started tickling her. Her grip slackened from the shock, and he wiggled his fingers against the flesh they were pinned to. Startled out of her grapple, Bulma kicked him in the face as she flipped back out of reach.

"That was a cheap trick!" Bulma called from the other end of the ring, face a deep magenta.

Vegeta smirked. "Kakarot's 'tickle attack' has never failed!" he said with a chuckle.

Bulma scowled at him. _Why is she so angry?_ He wondered, his thoughts cut short as Bulma charged him with a series of punches that he blocked. He watched as she fought, noticing the shimmer of her synthetic ki over her fists as each blow landed.  He broke her assault with a counter-attack and went on the offensive, seeing the same shimmer with every block.  _So, she uses her technology offensively and defensively,_ he noted.

She found a gap in his attack and dodged out of his reach, and grinned at him as she touched her bracelets subtly, before charging at him twice as fast as before.

_What the hell just happened?!?_ Vegeta wondered as he faltered blocking her lightning-fast blows, a handful of painful body shots sending pain up his spine.

"How's that for a weakling scientist?" She growled at him. "I can get even stronger," she whispered before knocking him back to the edge of the ring. Roaring in frustration, he charged at her. She adjusted her bracelets again and Vegeta saw a ki aura begin to shimmer around her body, and dodging his attack so fast he didn't even see her move.

"How are you moving so fast?!?" Vegeta growled.

"The bracelets absorb ambient ki from within a 50-yard radius," she explained. "It's borrowed, " she simplified, breaking through his offense easily and nailing him in the face.

Bulma went back on the offensive, accentuating her speech with powerful punches and kicks, "What really makes me angry isn't even that you think your subjects exist solely to serve you. It's that you can't understand their true motivation. How can you be so selfish, arrogant, and pigheaded to not see it."

"See what?" Vegeta asked, narrowly avoiding a powerful uppercut.

"LOVE!" Bulma barked at him. "Love for their family, friends! Keeping their mates and children safe! Ensuring they have a good life! That's what motivates the people! How can you be so dense as to not figure that out?!? Have you no love for your own family and friends? Don't you love your parents? Your brother?"

It was getting harder and harder to deflect, dodge, and parry Bulma's attacks. He could feel her power continue to rise, peaking above everyone observing their battle. _Something is wrong_ , he thought to himself. He watched as her bracelets began to glow, and her aura began to pulse with barely contained power. He sprang back, putting distance between them when she charged at him again with incredible speed, knocking him off his feet. He rolled and smoothly got back to his feet, wiping sweat and dirt from his face. His thoughts raced, _how long have we been fighting? It felt like days! How am I going to overcome her power?_  

His thoughts were cut short as Bulma reached maximum capacity with her bracelets, and the sight of it stole the breath from his lungs. Her bracelets glowed a cold and ethereal blue, as did her aura which crackled with sparks of energy, but what rooted him to the spot was how her Saiyan hologram began to ripple and shimmer before evaporating completely. There was a collective gasp from the audience as Bulma's black curls turned her natural blue, levitating weightlessly around her head as if floating on a gentle breeze. He couldn't move under the ferocity of her icy blue gaze and she took advantage of the situation, sweeping his feet out from under him and pinning his arms with her legs again. He couldn't even see the blows landing, accentuating her raging tirade.

Bulma threw another punch, nailing Vegeta square in the face with an eerie crack that affirmed a broken nose, "Selfish boy! You have no idea what it's like to be on your own!"

She landed another blow, sending teeth and blood spraying across the ring, "All your life you've had servants to wait on you hand and foot! You've had your parents! Your brother! Your family! You've had your people! I have nothing! NOTHING!"

She grabbed him by his collar; Vegeta saw the pain in her eyes, the tears rolling down her cheeks. She whispered so only he could hear, "Do you know what it feels like to have your entire species, your entire PLANET relying on you to bring them back? Do you know what it is to be truly alone in the universe?"

"Bulma," he croaked, "Your hologram..."

She was beyond words, just pummeling him. He could see the disconnect in her eyes as she became enthralled with the power coursing through her. As the blue of her eyes began to emit a golden light, Vegeta realized she was a ticking time bomb of energy... and that he'd never seen a more glorious female in his entire life. The bracelets! She said they were absorbing power! It must be the source! His arms were still pinned by her legs, no matter how much he bucked and wiggled he couldn't break free from her grasp. _My tail!_ He wiggled his tail loose, _maybe I can slip past the ki shield_...

He gently slipped his tail up her arm, slipping his tail between her wrist and the bracelet and snapping it off of her arm.

After that, everything seemed to happen in slow-motion.

Sparks of energy arced wildly from her body as the golden aura surged from her body before imploding in on itself. He saw the golden glow leave her eyes as they returned to their natural blue before lolling up into her head as she slumped unconscious on top of him.

He sat up, gently rolling her off of him and smoothing her blue curls from her face. They shimmered back to the holographic blue-black under his fingers as the last parks of energy dissipated.

He looked up with the eye that wasn't swollen shut, wiping the blood from his face as Nappa's booming voice called the match.

"Vegeta wins. Take her to the medical ward and go get yourself cleaned up."

...

Bulma groaned as the rise to consciousness brought with it a new aches and pains. She tried to piece together where she was in time and space. _The medical ward. How did I get here? Oh... the tournament. My bracelet!_

She reached down to find only one of her bracelets remained, scorch marks on her skin where the bracelet was.

A sigh caused her to snap her head towards the source of the sound, the pain of the motion causing her to wince.

"Serves you right," Queen Sabi said. "Do you realize I've had to come here and attend to you more than I have for my own children? And I have two of them!" The Queen began pacing the small recovery room. "What am I going to do with you, Bulma? Do you realize there are rumors now that you're the Legendary Super Saiyan, or that you've achieved Super Saiyan God? You were supposed to blend in! You were supposed to assimilate!" Sabi paused in her rant to see the young girl's eyes fill with tears, and gave a sigh of resignation, "What do you have to say for yourself?"

Bulma choked back a sob, "I'm so sorry, your highness! I didn't mean to lose my temper. I was just so angry, I don't even know why I was so angry... He's just such an idiot!" Bulma raved between sobs.

Sabi arched an eyebrow in curiosity, and Bulma continued.

"Vegeta didn't do so well on his project over the break, so Kakarot and I helped him get honest answers from people by using my holograms to look like other people. We watched people for weeks to get the answers he needed, but he wouldn't help me with his paper. Then he started avoiding me and I started to take it personally. Why wouldn't he want my help?!? I'm the smartest in the entire Citadel! I could've helped him write a brilliant paper!" Bulma panted, being overcome with emotion, wiping the tears from her eyes. "So I hacked into the mainframe to read his paper."

Sabi's jaw dropped, "You hacked into the Hall of Kings mainframe?!?!"

"Uhhh... Yeah," Bulma said sheepishly. "But I'm glad I did! He has no idea! He thinks that... He doesn't even understand... He just!" Bulma groaned at her inability to articulate a sentence.

"I do understand," Sabi said quietly. "It's why I pushed for him to be where he is. To learn. To grow. To become the king he is meant to be."

The pair sat in contemplative silence, considering so many things.

"You are henceforth banned from any and all tournaments on Vegetasei," the Queen announced solemnly. "I certainly can't have you pulling another stunt like that. You completely lost yourself to the flow of ki through you. The potential explosion would've been disastrous, to say the least!" Sabi paused, eyeing the girl as she sniffled. "I suppose it goes without saying, no more weapons development without supervision. No more ki enhancement. None of that. I won't have children building weapons at the Citadel." She said with finality.

"Yes, highness," Bulma said solemnly. "Your Majesty... is Vegeta ok?"

Sabi smiled over her shoulder at Bulma, "Of course. How do you think you got here?" She said as she left the room.

...

The aches and pains Bulma experienced as a result of her ki enhancement faded within a day, but the ramifications of her actions lasted far longer. Everyone avoided her now. Students would turn back the way they came when they saw her coming. Crowded halls would part for her, leaving a wide berth. Cabba and Kale seemed to be more interested in each other than spending time with her... or Kakarot of Vegeta, so she tried not to take it personally. Every day she felt more and more alienated from the rest of the students, a deep depression being staved off with the comfort of going home.

It was a relief to get her final assignment and go home to her secluded island. Get away from judgmental Saiyans and be with people she cared about... people who cared about her. People who accepted her for who she was and didn't expect her to pretend. She spent her time as she always did, exploring the island, playing in the surf, and holed up in her capsule lab. The monotony had its own comfort, even if she began to lose her purpose. Every now and then she would catch a glimpse of something to spark her memory. Watching the sun set over the sea, watching her adoptive family interact together... she would remember Earth, its people, its demise... and her purpose: bringing them all back.

_Short term goals and long-term goals,_ she'd remind herself. There were steps to the process, and she couldn't skip one. She needed a ship, coordinates to Namek, supplies for the journey... and she would only gain access to these things by completing her studies at the Citadel.

Completing her studies meant 'improving on a current invention's design'. She couldn't help but roll her eyes at all the free tech she was providing, and after a couple of days spent upgrading the gravity generator to 20 times gravity she decided on her project. She'd hemmed and hawed over the possibilities, limiting herself to tech that Saiyans already had. She shot down idea after idea, before finally deciding to push the phrasing entirely, and said to herself 'the current design is such utter crap that I scrapped the whole thing and started over'. She decided to give up the patented Capsule Corp teleportation pads, building them on a small scale as a model, and claiming it a more efficient means of moving people and goods over long distances quickly.

She'd finished her first prototype within a few days, and proudly called Kakarot in to observe. Curious, Gine had joined, urging Bardock to come and observe with her. Raditz, back from his most recent purge mission had followed out of boredom.

Bulma proudly explained the concept to her audience, whose eyes glazed over at the technical aspects of the device. At least, the younger Saiyans appeared bewildered- their parents seemed to grasp the concepts, if not the specifics.

Sighing to herself, she readied her experiment, placing the scaled-down pads on either end of her lab. She had Kakarot place a large orange melon on the pad and step back while she entered the command sequence.

With a gasp and a smile, Bulma saw the melon disappear in a flash of light and re-appear on the pad at the other end of the room. Her delight turned to horror as the melon had reformed on the second pad inside-out. The red juicy flesh pulsing grotesquely before suddenly exploding in a blast of fruity gore.

Bardock let out a rich and thunderous laugh as he wiped melon guts from his face, and was joined by Gine who was picking bits of fruit from her hair.

"Why do your experiments end with explosions, Bulma?" Kakarot laughed.

Raditz smirked at the catastrophe before him, and turned to Bulma, the smirk fading from his face. All color had drained from her face, a look of pure terror on her face. The laughter died in the room as Bulma bolted from the lab and ran off, sobs of grief and fear trailing into the wind behind her as she fled.

Bardock and Gine looked at each other bewildered, and Kakarot made to go after her when Raditz stopped him, "I'll get her."

He followed her trail and found her exactly where he expected to, on the beach sitting alone watching the waves lap the shore. He touched down and walked up to where she sat, knees curled up under her chin, her arms wrapped around them.

He sat down silently, listening to the waves crashing softly in the sand. After a few moments and a stifled sniffle Raditz spoke, "Mom and Dad used to bring me here when I was little. Then Kakarot when he was born. I'll never forget the look on his face the first time we brought him here." He chuckled, "Probably the same face I had when they brought me here." He sighed, "He comes here sometimes when he needs to be alone... I figured you'd be here."

"It reminds me of home," Bulma said. "The sand's the wrong color, and the water is blue... but I can close my eyes and pretend sometimes..." Bulma said wistfully.

"I know what happened to your home," Raditz said. "We all do. Not long after you came, the men who destroyed your planet came here looking for you. I'm sorry about what happened to your planet. It doesn't make sense."

Bulma sniffled, "What do you mean?"

"The PTO doesn't just destroy planets. They offer them a place under Lord Frieza's rule, and if it's declined the planet is purged or its inhabitants taken as slaves. They don't just blow up planets. They rape the planet of its resources: inhabitants for slaves, minerals, essential elements, food. They don't blow it up unless it's a useless husk."

Bulma sighed, "I don't remember a lot about that day. I remember I was dancing with my father, then my mother came rushing in... everything happened so fast and I was so scared." Bulma began panting frantically as fear took hold, reliving the memories. "I remember my mother saying she loved me. I remember using the teleport pad, I remember bright lights and explosions...and then I was in the virtual world my parents created." 

"It can be hard to deal with surviving a planet purge," Raditz said solemnly. It wasn't until that moment that she'd realized how much the boy had grown while she was at the Citadel. He wasn't a boy anymore, he was a fully grown male, one conscripted into service in Frieza's army. He had survived planet purges but from the other end of the spectrum, the victor claiming the spoils. She couldn't harbor any ill will towards him, nor any Saiyans. They had no choice. They were slaves to Frieza's will as much as Earth had been a victim of it.

Raditz wrapped an arm around her as she rested her head against his shoulder, taking comfort in his presence and the calm waves as Vegetase's sun slunk closer to the horizon. When Raditz' stomach let out a loud gurgle, they both chuckled.

"I wonder if there's any melon left," Raditz chuckled.

"You head on back, I'm going to take a walk along the shore before I head back," Bulma said.

Satisfied by her tone of voice and body language, Raditz felt comfortable leaving her to her own devices. She would come home when she was ready and he would tell his parents exactly that.

Bulma walked along the beach silently, deep in thought. She was pulled from her thoughts as a glint of amber sparkled out of the corner of her eye. She froze, seeking it out in her field of view and spotting the source just down the surf a ways.

_There's no way... It couldn't possibly..._

The familiar shade of golden yellow... She hadn't seen that exact shade of amber since she was a small child in her mother's office. Sitting on her desk.

She ran to the sparkling amber object, she shouldn't get her hopes up... her heart thundering in her chest as the perfect curve of an amber sphere poked out of the sand.

She dug frantically... unable to believe what she held in her hands.

The amber sphere contained four blue-green stars that faced her no matter the angle. 

There was no doubt about it, they were Dragonballs. Vegetasei has its own Dragonballs like Earth... but not like Earth. Earth's Dragonballs were smaller, the size of a large apple. This sphere was the size of a large grapefruit, taking up both of her small hands as she held it.

_Four stars... That means there are others!_

Bulma's thoughts raced as she considered the implications of what she held in her hands... she didn't have to go to Namek! All she had to do was find the rest.


	11. The Citadel: Year Four

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Big chapter. Lots happens.  
> Big crazy.  
> Inspiration:  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pgXozIma-Oc

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Argh... that moment when you realize you've been working on this chapter since AUGUST (8/21/18, to be specific).  
> *sigh*  
> I did a lot of jumping around with flashbacks. If anything is unclear, or my verb tenses don't match, please let me know so I can fix it!  
> Read time: appx 36 mins

After five minutes of knocking and waiting, Kakarot gave up waiting for a response and entered Bulma's lab. Bardock had casually mentioned that he hadn't seen Bulma in days, a point Gine noted as well, neither of them having seen her even at meals. Kakarot had admitted to bringing food to the lab for her, but leaving it at the door with no response.

 _This time would be different_. He wasn't going to just leave. He was going to find out what was going on and refuse to leave until he had answers.

The lab was dark and he couldn't see Bulma anywhere, despite the peripheral lighting. In the darkness, he heard a gentle ticking, followed by a cacophony of bells and chimes followed by rhythmic ticking and a gentle melody punctuated with deep bass notes. The feel of the music made him uneasy, the bass notes giving a sense of sadness, fear, and doom, while the soft melody made him feel a desperate lonely hope. The confusing emotions made him feel uneasy... _when did she hook up a sound system in here?_

He looked around the lab as the song played, eventually finding Bulma sitting behind one of the lab tables with her legs crossed and a small device sitting in her lap.

"Bulma?" he called to her, and as she turned to look up at him with red-rimmed eyes and tear-stained cheeks, he knew something was wrong.

She sobbed, dropping the device as she jumped up and hugged him, clinging desperately to him.

 _< Ticking away the moments that make up a dull day_  
_Fritter and waste the hours in an offhand way._  
_Kicking around on a piece of ground in your hometown_  
_Waiting for someone or something to show you the way >_

He hadn't learned a lot of Bulma's language, but he recognized her native word for 'home', and felt her sob again and he reflexively wrapped his arms around her in comfort.

 _< Tired of lying in the sunshine staying home to watch the rain._  
_And you are young and life is long and there is time to kill today._  
_And then one day you find ten years have got behind you.  
_ _No one told you when to run, you missed the starting gun. >_

Kakarot couldn't understand what was wrong, but he could tell that his presence was helping as he felt her relax slightly in his arms. He responded by holding her a little tighter and swaying to the melody as it changed to a more inspiring and upbeat melody.

 _< So you run and you run to catch up with the sun but it's sinking_  
_Racing around to come up behind you again._  
_The sun is the same in a relative way but you're older_  
_Shorter of breath and one day closer to death. >_

 _< Every year is getting shorter; never seem to find the time._  
_Plans that either come to naught or half a page of scribbled lines._  
_Hanging on in quiet desperation is the English way_  
_The time is gone, the song is over_  
_Thought I'd something more to say. >_

Bulma's mind was a confusing jumble of emotions. Time seemed to be slipping through her fingers, it had been so long... Her friends, her family, her planet... her home... nothing but ash and space dust for 7 years, 3 months, 22 days, 8 hours... and 10 minutes. Approximately. According to the computer logs she'd been able to piece together. So many pieces remained in the Queen's labs, locked away and untouchable. In the time she'd spent trying to recalibrate her father's Dragonball radar, he'd already built it from scratch and gathered them all! She felt so defeated. Useless! The past two days had been especially frustrating. Working herself to a nauseous, nervous, emotional wreck. She felt like she was going crazy.

 _< Home_  
_Home again_  
_I like to be here_  
_When I can >_

 _< When I come home_  
_Cold and tired_  
_It's good to warm my bones_  
_Beside the fire >_

 _< Far away_  
_Across the field_  
_Tolling on the iron bell_  
_Calls the faithful to their knees_  
_To hear the softly spoken magic spell... >_

"Bulma," Kakarot said gently. She turned to look at him and he smiled at her. "You can't keep sitting in the dark listening to this kind of music. It's going to drive you crazy."

Bulma let out a wet, snot-filled laugh, nodding her head in agreement.

"Let's get some sun, go down to the beach and watch the sunset," Kakarot suggested. Once he had her out in the light, he realized how pale she had become. She'd lost lots of muscle tone and mass as well. Clearly, she wasn't eating and she had dark circles under her eyes.

"So," he said as they walked towards the beach. "I know you're not this stressed over your Citadel project."

Bulma sighed, "No, I finished that weeks ago."

"Then what's really going on?"

"Kakarot, did I ever tell you how my parents met?" Bulma asked.

"Um... No?" he said, not really sure where she was going.

"They were just five years older than we are now," Bulma began. She told the story exactly how it had been told to her. Trunks' unknown love for years that finally sparked at the museum, the mystical orbs they found, developing tech to find them, and their search for the remainder. She rambled on about Kami and Korin, and a great many things Kakarot simply couldn't make sense of. When they settled down on the beach to watch the sunset, Kakarot voiced his question.

"Where exactly were you going with this, Bulma?" he asked.

Unable to articulate, she pulled out a storage capsule and clicked the button before tossing it to him. With an evaporating puff of acrid mist, a golden orb with four blue stars within landed squarely in his lap. Kakarot picked up the orb, examining it thoroughly but unsure of the situation.

"Is this one of those Dragonballs?" he asked.

"Yes," Bulma answered, frowning. "And no." Kakarot gave her a confused look, and she explained further, "This is a Dragonball, but this isn't from Earth."

It took a moment for the information to be processed in Kakarot's brain, "We have our own set of Dragonballs?!?"

"Apparently so," Bulma said wistfully. "Kakarot, do you understand what this means?"

He stared at her dumbly for a moment, it meant a great many things, what specifically was she talking about?

"My mission, my purpose, my entire reason for being here was to get myself to a planet called Namek and find their Dragonballs," Bulma explained. "Kakarot, this means I can go home! I can resurrect my family, my planet..."

Kakarot's eyes widened with realization and felt a hollow sadness creeping over him. With her planet and family restored... Bulma would leave, and he'd never see her again. He couldn't put his own feelings above the existence of Bulma's planet.

"What do you need?" Kakarot said supportively.

"I'm almost there... The first thing I did was find the Dragonball radar, but it wouldn't even detect the ball right in front of me! I didn't have the equipment I needed to study it. I had to search through my father's archives and build the array he used from scratch. I've studied it and figured out that the radar was set to the wrong frequency, but I don't know the correct frequency and I've been scanning it for weeks trying to identify the correct one but the scans keep running into the same error... it's like the frequency is oscillating and I can't lock it down." Bulma growled in frustration, throwing a stone out into the waves.

"Maybe it is oscillating," Kakarot repeated dumbly.

"How am I supposed to track an oscillating frequency?!?!" Bulma shouted.

'Well, I'm not the genius, so I have no idea why you're asking me!" Kakarot shouted back. 

Bulma sighed, "I've got two more days before we return to the Citadel... I can't throw away 'Plan A' with no guarantee of 'Plan B' working. I can't just blow off my studies to make this work."

...

The next day, Bulma set to work on how to track oscillating frequencies and had an epiphany. By calculating the mean average frequency length, she could track her Dragonball. Instead of a constant mark showing on the radar, it would quickly blip as the frequency wave hit the midway point between trough and crest. Her heart hammering in her chest, she increased the power of the Dragonball radar. She held her breath as the signal from the Dragonball in her hand blipped on the screen; when it blipped on the screen again three more points lit up on the screen and Bulma screamed.

Kakarot came crashing into the lab, thinking Bulma had been attacked and was stunned to see her racing around the room screaming at the computer.

"... Mother, overlay the signal readings on top of a map of Vegetasei!" Bulma called, plugging what Kakarot now realized was her Dragonball radar into a console.

The computer brought up a holographic display, overlaying the discovered Dragonball locations. Kakarot began to wonder if Bulma even knew he was there.

"That's the Four-star ball right here," she muttered to herself.

She spotted another ball on the far side of the continent, hundreds of miles into the desert the Citadel bordered. Another appeared to be out in the middle of the ocean, while the third had Bulma sputtering in rage.

"THERE'S A DRAGONBALL IN THE CAPITOL?" She bellowed. How could she not have known? How had she missed that? Zooming in on the map, Bulma growled in frustration, "It's in the Palace!"

"If it's in the palace, it's in the King's Treasury," Kakarot said matter-of-factly.

"How are we supposed to get into the Treasury? For that matter, how many Dragonballs are there? I've only got half the picture! Apparently, I can't read them through the planet, so I'll have to cover the whole planet somehow... Maybe hacking into orbiting satellites... Ugh, that would take forever... The fastest way is to cover the ground 'on foot'... Don't get lazy just because you're smart..."

Kakarot stood there, wide-eyed and confused as Bulma rambled to herself. Her brain moved so fast, it was hard for him to keep up with where she was going... he always seemed to be five steps behind her. 

Bulma began pacing as she fell silent, Kakarot's cue that she was calculating a plan. She would always start working through her thoughts aloud, then naturally switch to silence when voicing her thoughts became inefficient in keeping up.

 _There are still three missing Dragonballs, assuming there's even seven. I have one, the next closest is the one in the Palace Treasury..._ Her thoughts trailed off into considerations of time and resources needed to retrieve that ball and dismissed it for now. _I'll circle back around to that one. Now, the one in the desert or the one in the ocean? Their distance is similar, so which should I go for first? If I get the one in the desert, I'll have to back-track to get the other... I can take some scans from both locations and cover 80% of the planet, surely I'll find a few more_. Bulma chuckled to herself, _I mean really, what are the odds of that?_

Bulma stopped pacing and turned to Kakarot, "Are you sure you want to help me gather the Dragonballs?"

Kakarot nodded solemnly, "Of course."

"Then tomorrow, we go for this Dragonball," Bulma said, indicating the one out to sea a couple hundred miles to the southwest. "Once we've gone to the Citadel, we'll get the one out in the desert," she explained, pointing to the other discovered location.

Kakarot observed and kept up with where she was leading him, "But what about the one in the Treasury? We can ask Vegeta-"

"No!" Bulma said firmly. "It's bad enough that I've told you, and I'm pretty sure Sabi's figured out some of it... But I can't take the chance that someone is going to stop me."

Kakarot looked to her, confused, "Why would Vegeta try to stop you?"

"He's a selfish asshole who would just use the Dragonballs for himself," Bulma replied.

Kakarot chuckled, "What is up with you two? You said you were going to tell me about that fight but you've been holed up in here avoiding me..."

Bulma's face raged red, she wasn't sure what was going on between the two of them, but she was still angry, "Nothing is going on! He's a selfish asshole, and that's all there is to it. We'd best head back. We have a lot to do tomorrow, and not a lot of time."

...

The first week of classes had finished, Bulma all but dragged Kakarot away as soon as they had finished their morning meal. After the fiasco retrieving the 5-star Dragonball, she wasn't taking any chances. This time, she was using her capsulated air-bike to get there. Kakarot had boasted how flying the both of them there was nothing, but he didn't quite make it, making a wet crash-landing for Bulma to resolve. Luckily, she had her a capsule with a small boat at the ready, wasting little time before arriving at the Dragonball's location, an archipelago with a dozen tiny islands. Finding it took less time than Kakarot needed to replenish his strength, so they used the boat until it ran out of fuel... that Bulma had no more of. Kakarot flew them the rest of the way, crashing in exhaustion at the shore of their island home. Bulma had to all but drag him into the house and toss him in his bed. 

There would be no repeat of that scenario. She had a plan. She had a backup plan. She had a backup plan for the backup plan, and even then she had more. She'd spent the entire week packing capsules with supplies and had taken her lab with her when she left the barracks. The pair followed the trail that led down to the valley where the vast desert awaited them. Deciding that Kakarot could be trusted less to navigate than to drive, Bulma gave him a brief overview on how to work the bike before taking off across the desert.

While Kakarot's home was at the edge of an archipelago, that chain of mountainous islands connected to the main mountain range that hosted tropical forests in the deep valleys. From the maps she had studied, and her short memory of flying over it, she knew the desert was a vast bowl bordered on 3 sides by chains of mountains. The mountains themselves squeezed every last drop of moisture from the sky with higher and higher peaks, leaving a desolate rainshadow that spanned hundreds of miles. Knowing this, she'd converted her air-bike from fossil fuels to solar, taking full advantage of clear skies.

They cruised along as the sun peaked higher and higher into the sky, Kakarot's tail wrapped firmly around Bulma's waist and her arms wrapped around his. As they left the borders of the Citadel, life appeared to evaporate into the cracked dirt. Occasional stunted trees and cacti gave way to sparse weeds... eventually melting away to sand and rock. Looking back gave her a feeling similar to being stranded in the ocean, hundreds of miles from shore. Shuddering at the thought, Bulma suddenly felt Kakarot tugging at her with his tail and looked up to see him pointing at the horizon. Where there should've only been vast plains of cracked, parched ground was a mountain... A tall, unnaturally thin mountain.

Her curiosity peaked when the radar showed that the Dragonball was in the same direction. Knowing he couldn't hear her over the roar of the engine, nor read her lips for the bandana she'd used to cover her face, she slapped his shoulder and pointed in that direction, urging him on and thrown roughly back into her seat as Kakarot grinned and opened the throttle.

As they closed in on the "mountain", Bulma gasped in the realization of what it truly was: the ancient ruins of what was once a towering metropolis. She started putting pieces together as she saw the classic signs of a fierce battle. They dodged craters that pockmarked the remains of a plaza, reducing their speed as Bulma noted how close they were to the Dragonball. As they went down the ruins of an ancient thoroughfare, Bulma pointed to the metal structures above them.

"Classic evidence of a gravity bomb," she noted, pointing to where the buildings were fused together, crushed by a gravitational singularity.

Kakarot brought the air-bike to an abrupt halt, throwing a disoriented Bulma into his back. Before them was an odd oblong crater large enough to swallow the air-bike and cause them to crash. He jumped off and stepped over to the narrower end of the crater and looked up at the ruins around him.

"Bulma, what is this place?" he asked.

She hopped off the bike and moved to his position, "I have no idea... this wasn't on any of the maps in the archives I've hacked. I don't even remember seeing it when I landed."

He pointed to a matching crater a dozen yards away on the opposite side of the thoroughfare, before moving between the two and holding up his hands as he looked at the destruction around him. Bulma looked at him carefully as she walked over, unsure what he was seeing.

"Oozaru fought here," Kakarot announced.

"What?" Bulma asked.

"Look," he pointed to each crater. "They're footprints," he turned Bulma to orient her to the correct center of gravity to follow his realization. "It turned this way and let out a massive amount of ki," her eyes followed the shattered lines of the thoroughfare and the holes carved into the ancient building remains. As she followed the blast's trajectory, she saw the gravity bomb wreckage and her jaw dropped in astonishment. It hadn't been a gravity bomb, it had been an engine with a gravity drive that had exploded and mimicked the effect. 

"Wait... Oozaru?" Bulma asked.

Kakarot sighed, "Weren't you paying attention during class first year?"

Bulma blushed and shrugged, "I kinda rushed it. I don't remember!"

"Under the full moon Saiyans with tails transform into a giant Oozaru," Kakarot eyed her suspiciously. "It's a pretty big and important part of our culture, Bulma. I'm actually kind of offended."

Bulma gaped at his serious and offended appearance and punched him gently when he started smiling and laughing at her. Their brief reverie was broken as they felt a tremor roll through the ground, and more dilapidated ruins collapsing in the distance.

"I don't remember there being any fault lines around here," Bulma wondered. "We'd better get out of here before the place collapses around us."

"I dunno, Bulma," Kakarot surmised. "This place has been around for a long time."

"Yeah, but I don't want to push our luck," Bulma said as she pulled out the Dragonball radar. "Well, that's weird... the signal moved!"

She clicked in the radar to zoom in and saw that the Dragonball was now on the other side of the ruins on its way out to the sprawling sand dune that lay further east. The location pinged again, "It's still moving!" she exclaimed. 

The pair hopped back on the bike and followed the signal out into the sandy wastes, looking for any trail, any sign of how their target was moving. They saw nothing as they raced over the enormous dunes following the beeping signal when it stopped moving and the pair overshot their target.

Hopping off the bike and charging towards the source of the signal, Bulma looked around the shifting sand, "WHERE IS IT?" She screamed in frustration and started kicking sand "There's nothing! There's no tracks, no signs... nothing!"

Kakarot got off the bike and began to make his way towards Bulma when the ground shook and the sand shifted. Bulma's eyes grew wide as she met his glance, before quickly looking down at the radar and watched as the Dragonball on the screen began to circle them in a predatory manner.

She looked to the dune surrounding them and saw a ripple in the sand like a fish causing ripples in a pond. The ripples of sand circled closer and closer when Kakarot suddenly grabbed Bulma and jumped on the bike.

Bulma gasped in confusion when suddenly a giant worm-like creature shot forth from the loose sand where Bulma had been standing only moments before. It stood almost 3 meters tall, with part of its body still submerged beneath the sand, its gaping maw split into three wide flaps lined with row after row of sharp teeth. Bulma was frozen in fear as a terrifying screeching roar emanated from the worm's maw and long fleshy tendrils shot forth looking for its prey.

"A Thing of Eternity!" Kakarot gasped as he revved the bike and sped off into the dunes with Bulma clutching him.

"A thing of eternity?" Bulma asked as she saw the giant worm freeze, sense their position, and begin to pursue.

"It's a name, not a translation! Shay khulud! Desert dragons! They burrow through the sand of the great desert stalking their prey!" Kakarot explained.

"WHAT?!? How did I not find out about this in my research?" Bulma gasped as the sandworm arched through the sand like a dolphin in the ocean.

"Were you researching legends?" Kakarot asked.

"What?" Bulma shot back.

"At least, no one's ever been able to confirm they exist! It was always told to cubs to scare them out of exploring the desert when they come to the Citadel!" Kakarot yelled.

Bulma screamed as the desert dragon shot forth from the sand, mere inches behind them, almost grazing the bike. Had they been on the sand instead of hovering over it, the bike would've surely lost all control. Regaining her senses, she looked to the dragon radar as she realized...

"It's swallowed the Dragonball!"

"WHAT?!" Kakarot shouted back.

"We were chasing the Dragonball before, but now it's chasing us!" Bulma showed him on the radar.

Her brain scrambled to come up with a plan as the giant predator closed in... coming up with an insane gambit.

"Kakarot..." Bulma said hesitantly, "I have a plan."

He side-eyed her from his position, "Plan?"

"Yeah, it's dangerous and it's going to be messy..." she replied.

"Bulma... what?" he started to say as he saw her activate her ki shield bracelet and reach into her bag for a capsule.

She smiled at him in a way that sent an anxious shiver up his spine from the tip of his tail to the base of his skull, tingling as it washed over his scalp.

"Everything's going to be just fine," she said calmly, before letting go and tumbling off the bike.

"BULMA!" Kakarot cried as she tucked and rolled, he saw the sign of the shay khulud changing direction and followed suit... too late.

He watched in horror as the desert dragon shot up from beneath her and swallowed her whole.

... 

An entire Minor Moon Cycle, and more than half of another had passed since retrieving the two-star and six-star Dragonballs. The look of shock and awe on Kakarot's face had been entirely worth it. After setting her ki shields at maximum, seconds after the sandworm swallowed her whole Bulma clicked on the button to activate the capsule she had designed for the Citadel- having refilled it with sea water. The force of hundreds of thousands of gallons of water manifesting inside of the sandworm had caused a spectacularly messy explosion, chunks of orange flesh mixed with sea water scattered across the desert sands. The pair had decided to 'divide and conquer', splitting up to search the corpse for the Dragonball. Imagine their surprise when they simultaneously cheered 'FOUND IT' only to realize that somehow the shay khulud had ingested not one, but two Dragonballs!

The find had been astounding, to say the least! Possessing four of Vegetasei's Dragonballs had given her a much better chance to study them, refining her radar and learning so much more. As she compared notes on Earth's Dragonballs, she drew the conclusion of a sibling-like relationship between the sets. Despite the similarities, one did not appear to come from the other, but rather both appeared to come from a 'parent' set of Dragonballs. It was an interesting theory, but pointless to pursue: it didn't get her further in her mission. Possessing what Bulma guessed was half of Vegetasei's Dragonballs gave her sensors a boost, since bringing more of them together their wavelengths began to stabilize. As a result, she was able to increase the power to the sensor in the radar, finding the final locations of the two unknown Dragonballs: the northern and southern poles.

 _Just like Earth_ , Bulma noted. _If there's a Namekian on this planet, he's at one of those poles_. She referenced her father's notes and conferred with maps of Vegetasei's poles, and drew more conclusions. Kami's complex was powered by geothermal energy, so it was unlikely that any Namekian would be built on the southern pole's ice as it floated on top of the Great Southern Ocean.

The northern pole was covered with ice as well, but it rested at the northern-most end of the mountain chain that housed The Capitol and Bardock & Gine's island. Bulma had learned early on that Vegetasei, as a rocky planet, experienced plate tectonics similar to Earth. _If there are active volcanoes at the north pole, there's bound to be a Namek there,_ Bulma surmised. 

What amazed Bulma most was how easily they found the three-star Dragonball in all that ice and snow, like it had been waiting all this time just for them. The radar was so powerful it was able to detect them within a three-meter radius, and the other four Dragonballs' proximity caused the flashing reaction her father's notes had described. There was no puzzle, no giant beast to fight, not even foul weather! _Kami must be looking out for us from Otherworld,_ she had thought to herself as she had gingerly picked up the three-star Dragonball. They'd even made their trip back to the Citadel without incident and before anyone questioned where they had been.

Her days still had pangs of loneliness, and it seemed like every couple of weeks it became depressingly unbearable, leaving her questioning her sanity. Kale and Cabba weren't necessarily avoiding her, but they were so absorbed in each other they had little time for anyone else. Vegeta had been avoiding her for weeks after classes began, and Bulma had taken to avoiding him out of spite. He'd gone from being completely unseen to being everywhere she turned, and upon seeing him she would do a complete about-face and head back in the direction she'd come from.

The sudden electrical discharge shocked her from her musings. The circuitry she was working on was delicate and she needed to focus on it.

She sniffed quietly, as not to disturb the other students working on their own circuits for the exam. She tried not to think about the argument between her and Kakarot a few days ago when she'd tried to talk to him about retrieving the Dragonball from the Treasury. Yet her emotions seemed to want to spin beyond her, she paused to take a cleansing breath before continuing with her work on the circuitry before her.

He refused to help her! Said he wouldn't help her steal from the crown! He'd called her a THEIF! She had no intent to STEAL! She was simply going to borrow it! Once she'd summoned the dragon, she would return the relic and none would ever be the wiser.

He'd countered with "How can you search for the Dragonballs if you've wished yourself to Earth? How? Huh? You're abandoning us. ME! Leaving ME to clean up YOUR mess, ALONE!"

She'd never truly seen Kakarot angry before. It upset her to no end, but he refused to understand the need for secrecy and prevention of interference. He refused to see how Vegeta was a selfish, spoiled prince with not a thought for anyone below his station. He refused to believe her claims that he would use the Dragonballs to wish for something selfish, leaving her without a home... without a family.

"You have a home, and you have a family," he'd said before storming off.

He'd consistently avoided her for an entire week. She ate alone.

She sniffled again, wiping some stray tears from her cheeks as the buzzer sounded the end of the exam. She placed her incomplete circuit board on her desk for examination, grabbing her satchel and abandoning her work. What does it matter? _I won't be here much longer anyway,_ she said to herself as her classmates avoided her hasty departure. _The Dragonball in the Treasury, then I'll grab the final Dragonball from whatever Namek has it and I can be done with all this alien foolishness and go home._

...

Vegeta looked up as Kakarot slammed himself down across the table from him, pausing mid-bite to quirk an eyebrow at him.

"Can I sit here?" Kakarot growled angrily.

Vegeta shrugged silently as he resumed eating, Kakarot helping himself to the meats and vegetables on the table. The pair ate without speaking, while Vegeta observed his friend with new found knowledge. The angry set of his brow, the way he scowled as he ate, his avoidance of eye contact. He was angry. Upset. He didn't want to talk about it, but he DID, and that in and of itself caused secondary conflict that appeared about to erupt.

"So, are you going to talk about it or just growl like an animal while you eat?" Vegeta asked.

Kakarot frowned into his plate, still avoiding eye contact, "I had a fight with Bulma."

Vegeta's heart started to race at the mention of her name. Since their fight the previous year, he'd wanted desperately to explain. He'd wanted to tell her that he realized what he'd written was wrong, that he'd learned so much. That she had taught him so much, but his pride couldn't bear it and he avoided her. The more he avoided her, the more he couldn't help but be drawn to her. He'd catch her scent on a breeze through the halls of the Citadel, particularly the Library. He had found himself wandering the stacks within chasing her scent, a nagging thought that it had changed slightly. As he followed the scent in an almost trance he saw a pair of students about to turn down a row of books, only to stop mid-step and continue onward. 

"Wasn't that the one who turned Super Saiyan and almost blew herself up?" one whispered to the other.

"Blue hair and eyes? That sounds like the Super Saiyan God legend, anyhow she can't control it. Stay away from her unless you want to get blown up," the other whispered back.

Vegeta scowled to himself, ignoring them as they nodded respectfully as they passed. He knew who they were talking about, and her strange new scent was stronger. As he neared the end of the stacks where she was, he heard light sniffling and peek around the corner to find Bulma slumped against one of the shelves. She sat with her knees pulled up to her chest, her delicate fingers twined in her hair, her whole body trembling. He felt her ki pulsing in distress and was frozen in place, unsure of what to do.

Part of him wanted to run from the feelings, but he would never call that fear.

Part of him wanted to comfort her and make that distressing ki pulse stop.

Possibly the wisest part of him wanted to gently give her space to deal with her feelings, so that was what he did.

He did less to deliberately avoid her, but found himself entranced by another change in her scent a few weeks later and following her again... to find her crying in the library.

This time the wisest part of him said he needed to confront this issue, but as he stepped forward it was like she knew he was there.

"Go away, Vegeta," she whispered.

He stepped forward as he thought carefully about what he wanted to say, when she jumped to her feet shouting, "Just leave me alone!"

He was frozen in place as she ran off. From that point forward, he deliberately followed her. He trailed her scent in the halls, noting it had returned to its original fragrance. It seemed that now she was deliberately avoiding him. He wasn't sure of it until the first time they made eye contact in a crowded hall and she turned completely around to walk back the direction she had come, with the throng of students parting like waves rolling off the beach.

His suspicions were confirmed when it became a pattern, Bulma deliberately turning around and avoiding him altogether.

"She's leaving," Kakarot said, interrupting Vegeta's thoughts.

"What?" Vegeta replied.

"She's leaving! She's going to leave a huge mess behind for me to clean up, and she doesn't even care that she's abandoning us!" Kakarot spat angrily.

"What do you mean she's leaving? Where's she going?" Vegeta asked.

"She figured out how to get her planet back," Kakarot muttered.

"What?" Vegeta choked.

"It was her plan all along, but she wasn't supposed to come here, she was headed for somewhere else," Kakarot explained.

"I'm going to need a better explanation," Vegeta said grimly.

"Bulma didn't want to tell you because she didn't think you'd help," Kakarot admitted.

Vegeta was actually a bit hurt that she felt that way, and apparently it showed on his face.

"See! I told her she was wrong, but she kept saying you'd use the Dragonballs for something selfish," Kakarot started ranting.

"Dragonballs?" Vegeta questioned.

Kakarot began with the story of Bulma's parents finding Earth's Dragonballs and concluded with locating the three-star Dragonball at the south pole.

Vegeta sat there stunned, trying to process everything. After a few minutes, he spoke, "You're only missing two of these Dragonballs?"

"Yes, the one-star and seven-star Dragonballs," Kakarot answered.

"And one of these Dragonballs is in the possession of a Namekian?" Vegeta asked.

"That's what she says," Kakarot clipped back.

 _An alien has been living on Vegetasei, and none of us knew?_ Vegeta took a moment to consider all he'd just been told, and after a brief tally he spoke, "There's one more of these Dragonballs, where is it?"

"That's why Bulma didn't want me to tell you," Kakarot explained, his anger significantly vented.

Vegeta glared at him, "Why? Where is it?"

The alarm sounded, alerting them it was time to return to class. Kakarot stood from the table and Vegeta grabbed his wrist, refusing to allow him leave until he'd answered.

"The Palace Treasury," Kakarot said with a scowl. "Hence the 'leaving a mess behind for me to clean up'." 

Vegeta released him in shock, and Kakarot proceeded to head to the sparring field for training. Vegeta started processing all he'd learned during their briefly shared meal. More aliens on Vegetasei? Magical wish orbs that can revive entire planets? One of these magical wish orbs was already possessed by the king himself... and he had no clue!

Bulma didn't tell him any of this. He was angry that she hadn't confided in him, and as he made it to the entrance of the Hall of Kings he realized he'd given her no cause to want to confide in him. He was shocked as he further realized that he'd wanted her to confide in him. He wanted to help her, even as he simultaneously didn't want her to leave.

He'd drawn some conclusions; he couldn't tell his parents or anyone else what he knew she was planning, she would get into so much trouble.

He would have to intervene himself, and devised a plan.

Under the guise of studying palace life and politics, he would request leave, when classes weren't in session, to return to the palace and guard the Treasury against would-be thieves. His father seemed impressed while his mother had a strange sense of pride.

For weeks he observed the comings and goings of the Treasury, noticing strangely enough that few people even went to the treasury. There were no guards posted, only automated security. A keypad with a code and recording devices were all that stood between a potential thief and the bounty of the Saiyan Empire. He'd back-tracked with the security footage, noting that those who frequented the Treasury most were Grand Secretary Paragus and his under-secretary, which made sense. Twice he had seen his mother enter, and that was it.

He had been in the middle of one of his father's briefings with the Grand Secretary when an alert was sent to his scouter. Video footage showed Tarble entering the Treasury only a few moments prior, which was suspicious considering Tarble should still be at the Citadel. That suspicion only deepened as Tarble pulled out a palm-sized device, attached it to the keypad and opened the door. After excusing himself, telling his father that Tarble had requested his assistance, he made for the Treasury.

He entered the Treasury and smelled it. Her. But different. It had that same tinge as it did when he'd found her in the library. The same scent he'd associated with fear and sadness, unfamiliar scents for a Saiyan. He knew it when he'd seen Tarble using the device, but that cloyingly unidentifiable sweet scent could only belong to her. His brother had no aptitude for science and truly deserved to be in the Hall of Kings. He followed his senses, the scent and sounds of ransacking and found him... HER.

"Looking for something?" Vegeta called.

'Tarble' jumped, whirling around to face his 'brother', "Vegeta!"

Vegeta kept his face neutral as he stalked his prey. It was definitely her, the scent was too strong to be a residual one lingering on the real Tarble. Moreso, the body language was all wrong- none of Tarble's shifting tail swishes or quirked eyebrows. No, this 'Tarble' was shocked to find his brother suddenly there.

"What are you doing here?" 'Tarble' asked.

"I might ask you the same thing," Vegeta chuckled as he wondered how long this charade would go on. "Are you looking for something?"

'Tarble' hesitated, clearly thinking of a lie, "I was looking for Mother's favorite jewel, I was going to take it and have it cleaned and polished, then mounted on a necklace. For her birthday."

 _Mother? He only calls her that publicly. Ok, I'll play along_ , Vegeta thought to himself, "Mother's birthday isn't for quite a few months."

Vegeta took a step closer as 'Tarble' replied, "The jeweler said the job may take a while, and I don't want to wait until the last minute."

"Mother keeps all her favorites in her chambers, where she can guard them personally," Vegeta countered. "Surely what you're looking for is there," he continued, seeing if 'Tarble' would take the bait.

"No. What I'm looking for is here. It's a gem... a spherical gem. Amber colored with a single blue star in the center," 'Tarble' explained, acting nervous as Vegeta came closer.

"Are you sure? I think I remember Father giving that to Freiza a few years back," Vegeta drawled.

"No. It's here. It's definitely here," 'Tarble' said as he began looking around the massive chamber for the item.

"How can you be so sure?" Vegeta asked, circling closer.

"Because I am!" 'Tarble' spat.

"But you can't find it?" Vegeta chuckled.

"Are you going to help me or not, Vegeta?" 'Tarble' asked.

Vegeta quirked an eyebrow, "Say it again."

'Tarble' sighed and rolled 'his' eyes.

 _I see you now_ , Vegeta thought to himself.

"Vegeta, will you please help me?" 'Tarble' asked in an annoyed tone.

Vegeta's hand shot out to clasp Tarble's wrist, far more delicate than it should have been. _What finger does she keep that blasted ring on? There it is..._

"All you had to do was ask," he said, feeling the ring and pulling it from her finger, "Bulma."

As the Tarble hologram melted away, Bulma's true form appeared. Her face instantly went from a raging red to pale as a sheet, unable to contain her shock at being discovered. He took in her true visage, no longer hidden by the hologram, noting her over-all ill appearance. Her eyes were cupped by dark circles, her skin waxy and her cheeks sunken. How could her hologram hide so much?

"Vegeta!" she gasped.

"What were you thinking?!?" Vegeta growled.

Bulma gave a wistful and half-hearted smile as she chuckled helplessly, "That I'd get away with it and be long gone before anyone even noticed?"

"This isn't funny, and this isn't a joke!" Vegeta growled. "Do you realize the mess you'd be in if I wasn't the one down here? If one of the palace guards found you out instead?"

"I can handle it on my own!" Bulma shouted.

"No! You can't! If you could then I wouldn't be here!" Vegeta shouted back, her scent kept shifting, sending different signals to his brain and it was driving him crazy. Distinctly he could smell fear and anxiety, realizing that the strange new scent was not that... and something else, more familiar.

Bulma suddenly crumpled to her knees and groaned, holding her abdomen with one arm as she braced herself with the other.

"Are... you ok?" Vegeta asked, deeply concerned.

"Just leave me alone, Vegeta," Bulma groaned. "Let me leave."

"No." Vegeta said firmly, "You're not going anywhere. Give me the Dragonball radar."

She glowered up at him, her blue eyes glaring fiercely, "NO!" What little color drained from her face as it pinched up in pain and she doubled over, "Vegeta..."

He jumped back as soon as he began to smell the bile rising in her throat and managed to escape her vomit. He watched as she struggled to her feet and made a break for the door. She only made it a few paces before collapsing on a wall and slowly sliding down it, slumping to a seated position on the marble floor.

Vegeta ran to her, panting, "Bulma!"

She rolled into a fetal position on the floor and groaned in agony as Vegeta knelt over her trying to figure out what the hell just happened... and why he smelled blood on top of the nasal cacophony already assaulting him. As she lost consciousness, Vegeta carefully considered his next move and pulled out his scouter. He had only one option left, calling for help.

"Mother... I need assistance in the Treasury," Vegeta said into the scouter. "You need to hurry."

...

Bulma started to regain consciousness, realizing once again that she was in a hospital bed. She looked around and realized she had no idea where she was.

"You're in the medical ward of the Queen's royal laboratory," she heard from a familiar gravelly voice.

She turned to its source, finding Vegeta sitting next to her bed. _Well, this is a first_ , she thought to herself.

"You've been asleep for almost 18 hours," Vegeta noted. "Mother's been working hard to figure out what happened... what your illness is. I guess she was able to access the drives on your ship and extract data on human biology. She's with Gine right now, they should be here shortly."

Bulma sat silently, unsure of what to say. She was nauseous still, her whole body ached and her stomach was still cramping painfully. She felt like she was dying, like she was losing her mind.

Clearly, Vegeta could sense her distress, and reached into his pocket.

Bulma gasped as he pulled out the one-star Dragonball, her eyes meeting his with a spark of ferocity that made him smirk.

"The way I see it you have three options," he said as he held out the orb. "You can fight me for it," he scoffed as he made a deliberate show of her, incapacitated in a hospital bed. "You can keep trying to steal it," he scoffed again before bringing the orb closer to her. As she reached for it, he continued, "Or, we can make a trade."

Bulma hesitated, meeting Vegeta's gaze and waiting for the terms of his trade.

"The Dragonball for the radar," Vegeta said simply.

She scowled at him, and he continued.

"And a promise," he said, meeting her eyes. "That you won't go after the final Dragonball alone."

She sat there considering how this would affect her plan. It would actually solve a lot of problems. Leaving the radar with them would allow them to recollect the missing Dragonball and return it to the treasury once she was gone. They'd had an easy go at the south pole, but Vegetasei's northern pole had more tumultuous and unpredictable weather. Having Kakarot and Vegeta would be much safer than going alone.

"You should decide soon, they're almost here, and I won't make this offer again," Vegeta lied partially. He would probably offer again after giving her time to really consider his offer.

Bulma sighed in resignation, nodding her assent.

"I'll hold on to the Dragonball for now while you plan this trip to get the last one," Vegeta said, slipping the orb back into his pocket.

No sooner than he'd slipped it into his pocket, Gine and Sabi appeared.

Bulma felt a pang of guilt as she saw the worried and haggard appearance of her adoptive mother, and shrunk back under the aggressive gaze of her sovereign.

"I want some explanations before I give any," Sabi began.

"I already told you, Mother," Vegeta explained. "It was just a prank! She wanted to test what I've learned about counter-espionage, so she set up this prank."

"I wasn't going to take anything," Bulma lied softly.

Sabi knew they weren't being truthful, but had no idea what they were hiding. She turned to Vegeta, "You, get out."

"But, Mother!" he protested.

"You have no need for knowledge of human female reproductive cycles So get out," Sabi explained, a stern look on her face that had Vegeta resigned to his dismissal. _Wait, 'human female reproductive cycles'?_ He moved beyond their sight and proceeded to eavesdrop on the conversation.

Bulma sat there terrified as Gine and Sabi sat on either side of her. The pair looked back and forth at each other, unsure of how to begin the conversation.

Bulma being Bulma charged in head first. "Am I going to die?" she asked.

"You have reached what humans call 'puberty' and by Saiyan standards, you are physically matured," Sabi replied factually.

"Wait... what?" Bulma asked.

"Human females and Saiyan females are different," Gine began. "We are 'facilitated ovulators', and require specific physical and hormonal stimulation to ovulate."

Bulma was having trouble following their train of thought, a headache creeping in to go with her body aches, nausea, and feverishness. She struggled to sit up, freezing in place as she felt oozing that made her think she had peed herself. She looked up to both Gine and Sabi, the former's eyes filled with tears and an oddly sentimental look on her face while the latter appeared to cover her nose and pale as she swallowed deeply.

"Is that blood?" Bulma asked as she felt the fluid leaking.

"Yes," Sabi said, evidently disgusted by human biology. "Your species has a monthly ovulation cycle. The parts of the female reproductive tract normally include two ovaries, two uterine tubes, a single pear-shaped uterus, and a single vagina. Gamete production is the responsibility of the ovaries, whereas protection and nourishment of the growing embryo and fetus before birth are functions of the uterus. The two uterine tubes, one from each ovary, provide pathways for the female gametes to get from the ovaries to the uterus," Sabi lectured.

 _By the Gods, please tell me she isn't_... Vegeta thought as Sabi continued.

"The portion of the reproductive tract called the vagina is between the narrow uterine cervix and the outside of the body. In female humans, there is a second opening where the urethra from the urinary bladder connects to the outside of the body..."

"Oh my god, this isn't happening," Bulma interrupted, pulling the blankets over her head.

Sabi glared at Bulma's sheet-covered form as she continued, "The urethral opening is normally separate from, and in front of, the vagina. Both the urethra and the vagina are located between two outer folds of skin called the labia majora and two inner folds, the labia minora. The structure called the clitoris is located where the two folds of the labia minora join each other at the front," Sabi chuckled. "Apparently it's a sensitive location as I found several references to various pieces of literature regarding that."

"NOT HAPPENING! NOT HAPPENING!" Bulma chanted to herself from beneath the sheets.

 _I kind of feel like I should be taking notes of this lecture_ , Vegeta scoffed.

"The organs of the female reproductive tract are kept in place internally by ligaments that attach the ovaries and uterus to the body wall and by the peritoneal membrane that lines the body cavity containing the intestines and other digestive organs. The primary follicles located in the ovary contain the only cells in the female that can complete the special form of meiosis that produces gametes. In females, the mature gametes are called egg cells or ova. The production of mature ova is not continuous. Each twenty-eight days or so, one primary follicle- containing one ovum- matures under the influence of hormones from the anterior pituitary, hypothalamus, and the ovary itself. The process of release of a mature ovum from a mature follicle is called ovulation.

While the follicle and ovum are maturing, the follicle secretes hormones that prepare the uterine lining (the endometrium). The endometrium gets thicker and is well supplied with blood vessels. If there are no viable sperm present in the uterine tube as the ovum moves along from the ovary to the uterus, then the ovum will not be fertilized. If fertilization does not occur, or for any other reason a blastocyst fails to implant within the endometrium, the built-up endometrial lining degenerates and is shed. Some bleeding accompanies this process, and the menstrual flow that leaves the woman's body through her vagina is made of blood and the cells that lined the uterus. Following menstruation, the cycle normally begins again with the maturation of a new ovum and buildup of the uterine lining once more," Sabi paused, waiting for Bulma to emerge from under her pseudo-protective sheet.

"This is where you are in your cycle," Sabi said after Bulma pulled back the sheets to look at her. "Human females do not have menstrual cycles their entire lives. The first menstrual flow actually means that your first menstrual cycle has just been completed; the first menstrual flow is one commonly used outward sign that a female has entered the transition time called puberty. During puberty, a reproductively immature "girl" becomes a reproductively capable "woman." With an adequate diet and general good health, puberty typically begins early in a girl's second decade of life; a first menstrual cycle at eleven or twelve years of age is not unusual. Women also eventually stop having menstrual cycles sometime in their fifth or sixth decade (forty-five to fifty-five years of age). The last menstrual period that a woman experiences is referred to as her menopause. The exact time of menarche and menopause varies significantly from one woman to another."

Bulma sat there, coming to terms with Sabi's lecture. This explained the severe mood swings that showed up with regularity, if she hadn't been so distracted with hormones and Dragonballs, she would have realized all of this a long time ago. She felt foolish that it had effectively snuck up on her so unprepared. "So, I've started my period? This is why I feel like I'm dying? Like my body's trying to turn itself inside out? Why I feel like I'm losing my mind?"

Sabi chuckled, "Hormones are a powerful thing, especially when you experience them for the first time. When I was pregnant with Vegeta I was a complete loose cannon. The entire west wing of the palace had to be reconstructed due to my wrath."

Gine laughed, "When I was pregnant with Raditz all I wanted to do was fight, but when I was pregnant with Kakarot all I wanted to do was cook and eat."

Bulma chuckled and groaned in pain.

"Using muscles for the first time can be painful," Gine said, her forehead knotted with concern. "It might just be tough because it's the first time, but we'll work around this. You can still complete your assignments from home if you find you're too sick to attend class."

Bulma nodded sleepily, a bone-deep exhaustion bearing down on her.

"And for the love of the Gods, child! You have got to start eating! You look positively awful!" Gine exclaimed.

"I think the best thing is for her to convalesce at home for a few days before returning to classes," Sabi said. "In the future, if you have health concerns I would have you come directly to me," she continued. "There is no one else that can be trusted. If you feel an illness, you come to me. If you experience symptoms from this or anything, you come to me. Is that understood?"

"Yes, your highness," Bulma replied.

"For now, rest," Sabi said with a soft smile that Bulma started to think she saved just for her. "When you wake, we'll arrange a flight home."


	12. Summoning the Dragon: Shenlong, brother of Shenron

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So yeah, this took FOREVER. I started this chapter in OCTOBER. Fucking OCTOBER. *insert expletive-laden tirade here*  
> I'm sorry about everyone having to wait so long. 
> 
> Reading time: 37 minutes

After recovering enough to be transported home, Bulma spent three days convalescing. Her 'new' body was taking some getting used to. Her chest ached and she realized she had breasts, which prompted her to examine her naked self in a mirror. Where before she'd only noticed the slim form of a child, she saw the beginnings of womanhood. She noticed a flare to her hips and the beginnings of an hourglass figure, like her mother's. The changes had been so gradual, she hadn't even noticed, and she felt a sudden sense of awkwardness as she redressed and prepared for her return to the Citadel.

She'd learned a lot about being human these past few days. As a method of dealing with her physical and emotional feelings, she delved into her parents' journals, getting to know them better and herself by extension. Even with their words in front of her, her mind wandered, driven by the hormones coursing through her bloodstream. She began to realize that even if she was never able to resurrect her planet, she still had hundreds of thousands of eggs in her ovaries... there was a potential in that which she understood now. At times during her 'recovery', those same hormones coursing through her bloodstream made her feel like she was going insane. She found it necessary to find a point of focus, like a pilot focusing on the horizon. Find the Dragonball, save everyone.

Vegeta still had the Dragonball and wanted the radar in exchange for it.

She'd need the radar to find wherever this Namekian was hiding, which meant Vegeta had to come with her. It simply wasn't worth wasting the time and resources building another radar.

She'd need Kakarot to stop her from killing Vegeta, which seemed a logical and obvious conclusion.

As she began her planning on retrieval of the final Dragonball, Bulma considered what she would need and came to a stunning realization:

The journey for this Dragonball would most likely be a one-way trip.

...

"Every month?" Kakarot asked, his mouth full of food.

"Yeah, and apparently they get moody and act completely insane," Vegeta added.

"That seems like a horrible evolutionary trait," Kakarot surmised.

"There must be something about it that works," Vegeta speculated. "There were apparently a thousand humans to every Saiyan when the planet was destroyed."

The pair became suddenly quiet as Bulma arrived at their table, and the trio sat in awkward silence as Bulma loaded her plate with typical breakfast items.

The taciturnity had gone on long enough to force Bulma to react to it.

"Since you're not avoiding me, I take it you're not mad anymore?" Bulma asked, taking a bite and eyeing Kakarot while waiting for his response.

"I suppose not," Kakarot answered thoughtfully. "You haven't left a mess for me to clean up," he sighed deeply and continued. "Can't say that I'm happy about you leaving, though. I don't want you to leave, Bulma. I care about you. Mom, Dad, and Raditz... they all care about you." He waved his hand at Vegeta, "Even Vegeta cares!"

Vegeta choked on his food, his face turning a deep scarlet as he coughed.

Bulma rolled her eyes in response.

Kakarot sighed, "And it's because I care about you that I'll help you. Even though we feel like we're your family, I will help you to reunite with yours," he concluded.

"It won't be easy," Bulma replied. "I've narrowed it down, and I have a pretty good idea where the last Dragonball is. If we leave from the Capitol, the journey will take about a week. So, it will have to be after finals. You won't be able to return before then."

Kakarot scowled at her excluding herself, "So, you're not expecting to return with us?"

Bulma frowned, "That is the point of all of this."

There was a tense silence, and it was Vegeta who broke it this time, "You hammer out the details, we're just 'hired muscle'. I'll be expecting you both two days after Finals." 

...

Bulma had packed literally everything and surprised herself at being able to store what was basically all of humanity packed in a satchel. Their journey north was completely opposite from their journey south. Bulma found herself thanking her father every time she had to pop open another capsule, finding something he'd left for her 'just in case'. The trip was far too long to do in a single flight, even when they decided to deploy from the Capitol. It had genuinely surprised Bulma when Gine dismissively waved them off with a "That's nice, I'll see you when you get back" when they cryptically said they were going on an 'adventure'. Queen Sabi had required more input before giving them leave to 'explore'. Bulma had quickly cooked up a scheme on the fly about studying the storms of the north to figure out why they were so constant and treacherous. The Queen had eyed them sternly as Bulma said she required Kakarot and Vegeta's assistance and given them access to whatever resources they needed.

As they left the Queen's chambers, Kakarot and Vegeta eyed her curiously.

"What?!?" Bulma defended. "I wasn't lying! I'm pretty sure I know what's causing them, and they aren't natural," she'd said.

All she'd done since leaving the Citadel for the year was study maps and her father's notes. He left detailed notes about how Kami's ship had latched onto the planet's geothermal energy like a virus attaching to a cell. Unlike a virus, Namekian technology wasn't destructive, but knowing what she learned from the trove of knowledge he'd left, allowed her to draw conclusions. Vegetasei's Dragonballs were physical proof that there must be a Namekian on the planet. That Namekian would have had to land their ship somewhere it could latch on to the planet, attaching itself to a source of geothermal power. Knowing this, she'd overlayed maps and studied the plate tectonics of the northern hemisphere, noting its changes were similar to Earth and not much had changed in the past 100,000 years. Her three-dimensional map of the fault lines, along with a surface map, were added to her radar to help her better find this Namekian that had managed to go undetected by the planet's residents for an unknown time.

Bulma had predicted that the entire journey would take approximately a week, using a Saiyan corsair to get them as far as they could, and traveling by foot if needed. And if her father's notes were any indication, they could very well be on foot for the final leg of their journey. 

As they followed the mountains north, Bulma had been fully prepared mentally for the storms she knew would come. He father's journal had been quite specific about how Kami's lookout had been surrounded by a wintry hurricane, with the eye of the storm being the Lookout itself. So when they hit turbulence, the Corsair icing over as the storm began to rage, she changed her vector and wove in and out of the squall line. Finding a suitable spot, she landed the ship and set up a base camp. No sooner had her father's old 'camping' capsule home been deployed, the squall line shifted, engulfing their site in blowing snow and ice.

They hunkered down, attempting to wait out a storm that Bulma knew would never cease. After a meal, some rest, and another meal, the trio loaded up into her father's old sno-cat. Bulma had a theory that the Dragonballs acted like a key, allowing the bearer to pass through whatever barrier this Namekian had. Both her parents had been able to pass through the barrier because they, and the Dragonballs, had been contained in a vehicle. Her theory was proven at least partially right, as she navigated the sno-cat through the described barrier while the Saiyan adolescents who accompanied her twitched their tails anxiously.

As they crashed through the barrier into a springtime glade, Kakarot and Vegeta gaped at each other. Bulma jumped from her seat and threw open the door, laughing as she ran out. The bewildered Saiyans followed, amazed at how every single one of Bulma's predictions had shown true. While the boys wandered the glade in an amazed stupor, Bulma immediately began scanning the valley to find the path to the final Dragonball and its guardian.

Lush grasses covered the glade, dotted with tiny flowers of various shades of red, purple, and blue. Bushes gave way to scrub up the walls of the valley, evaporating to a shimmering wall of white before the peaks could be seen. Kakarot went to examine the bushes, while Vegeta went directly to the shimmering wall cloaking the valley. As he got closer, he noticed it wasn't as much a 'wall' as a barrier. Instead of being clearly defined, it was more like a buffer zone. He removed his glove, reaching through it and feeling the icy sting of the raging storm beyond.

He growled as a sharp smack to the back of his head had him spinning on his heel.

"What are you doing? You have no idea what would happen if you came into contact with the barrier! You could've been sucked out of this pocket dimension and back into that storm!" Bulma chastised. "And you!" She yelled, turning to Kakarot, who had gathered some of the berries he had seen growing on the bushes he investigated, popping them into his mouth. "No one's seen these plants in thousands of years! They could be toxic!" She slapped the berries from his hand and Kakarot frowned in disappointment.

"Pocket dimension?" Vegeta asked, shucking his thick outerwear that was no longer needed.

"Yes," Bulma sighed as she continued. "I'm getting similar readings like the ones in my father's notes about Kami's lookout. There is definitely a Namekian here, for a long time by the looks of it." She took off toward the narrow end of the valley at a full run, Kakarot and Vegeta exchanged confused glances as they took off after her.

Her face lit with excitement as the familiar angles of the entrance came in to view. She had only come through the 'front door' of Kami's lookout a handful of times to play in the peaceful glade below, but its ancient imposing angles were burned into her memory. She entered the cave, her heart racing as the familiar green luminescent rocks lit the interior, she picked up her pace and faded from view into the depths of the cavern with two confused Saiyans hot on her heels.

"Bulma!" Kakarot called, as he and Vegeta raced down the narrow, dimly lit corridor. They found her standing in an antechamber, a large triangular dais in its center.

_This is it, I remember what to do,_ Bulma thought to herself as she pulled out the Dragonballs. She turned to Vegeta, "Give me the Dragonball."

Vegeta gave Bulma a sneer before retorting, "Give me the radar."

Bulma smiled wistfully at the radar before tossing it to Vegeta, "It's not like I need it anymore."

He caught the radar in mid-air and stepped forward to hand Bulma the Dragonball. Taking it and the remaining five, she stepped forward and onto the dais before turning to her friends.

"Well, are you coming?" She asked with a sly grin.

"Coming where?" Vegeta said, an air of suspicion weighing heavy in the chamber.

Bulma laughed, "I guess I should catch you both up. This isn't a cave, and those aren't rocks. Did you even notice the floor?"

Vegeta examined the ground beneath his feet and only then realized that the rocky floor of the cave had turned to polished stone.

"Just like those storms aren't natural, neither is this chamber," Bulma said with a far off look.

"Bulma," Kakarot asked, "How do you know this place?"

"Because I've been here before," Bulma said, taking a moment to examine the chamber and mentally catalog the similarities and differences. "Well, not 'here' here, but almost." She sighed, sitting on the dais with the Dragonballs in her lap. "There's definitely a Namekian here. This is the exterior of his ship."

"What?!?" Kakarot and Vegeta exclaimed simultaneously, suddenly observing the chamber with intense scrutiny.

"Yeah, this is just like Kami's lookout. Namekian ships are kind of like parasites..." Bulma frowned. "No, it's more of a symbiosis than a parasitic relationship. The ship burrows deep into the planet's core, like a virus invades a cell, powering itself on geothermal energy. It doesn't really take away from the planet, but it doesn't really help it either. Anyhow, this," Bulma tapped the dais with her hand, "Is the front door to whatever Namekian's ship we've found. Whoever they are, they have the last Dragonball."

"So, how does it work?" Kakarot asked as he climbed up.

"I'm not really sure about the specifics of 'how', but I know how to make it work," Bulma said. "Get up here, and I'll show you," she smiled, holding her hand out to Vegeta.

He climbed on the dais with them, and with a delicate clinking the Dragonballs touched the dais and began flashing until a bright light engulfed the trio and the cave walls disappeared.

...

As the light cleared from their vision, even Bulma was amazed at the sight before her. While Kakarot and Vegeta gazed at their surroundings in first-time wonder, Bulma was stunned at the differences. The similarities to Kami's lookout ended at the ship's exterior. The first 'chamber' of Kami's ship, Korin's sanctuary, resembled a country garden. This sanctuary was different. Where Korin had shimmering white columns, this chamber had formed from the red stone of Vegetasei, melting upwards like stalagmites to support a ceiling hidden by vines. Gone were the familiar blossoms of Korin's beautiful Senzus, replaced with strange green buds. Where Korin had sprawling vines with blue and green hues, this chamber had vibrant yellow vines with red and orange hues. While Korin's refuge resembled a country garden, this place resembled the thickest and wildest of jungles Vegetasei had to offer.

The trio split off, Vegeta going to the edge of the chamber and noting the lavender shade of the sky meant they were far above the surface of Vegetasei. As he carefully peered over the edge he could barely see the clearing below, a small clear spot surrounded by thick churning clouds. Bulma went to observing the blossoms more carefully, noting their variation in shades of green. The blossoms were bushy with leaves forming around them in a starburst pattern. Some buds were furry and covered with contrasting hairs of red, magenta, and pink. Some buds were covered in tiny hair-like crystals, and Bulma curiously reached out to touch one.

"<You shouldn't touch that>," a small voice hissed at her from nearby. "<Then again, you're not Saiyan, so it might not be toxic.>"

Bulma held in a gasp as she heard the movement of leaves behind her and the small hissing voice drew nearer.

"<You can't be a Tuffle either. They died out millennia ago.>"

Bulma hesitated, _was... was he speaking Namekian_??? She looked around to find the source of the voice, seeing some leaves rustle nearby. She tried her best to remember what she could of the Namekian Kami had taught her.

"<My name is Bulma Breifs, the daughter of Panchy and Trunks Breifs, Guardians of Earth by order of Kami and King Kai>," Bulma said with as much confidence as she could muster. "<I have gathered six of the Dragonballs and seek an audience with the Guardian of this planet!>"

"<Did you say Kami?>" a small lizard skittered out from the leaves.

Bulma gaped at the creature before her, noting how it resembled geckos from Earth. She'd never seen anything like him before, and surely he was not from this planet himself. He was beautiful in his exotic coloring, the cells of his skin oscillating fluidly between shades of blues, greens, and reds, causing the colors to ripple over his body.

"<Yes! Did you know him?>" Bulma asked, kneeling down to the lizard's level.

"<I know of him, never met him>," the lizard explained. The colored stripes down his back shimmered as his gaze peered over her shoulder. "Ahh, Saiyans," the lizard said scornfully, glaring at Kakarot and Vegeta. "Did you find another civilization that you needed help destroying?"

"You dare speak to the Prince of all Saiyans with such an insolent tone?" Vegeta growled.

The lizard's scales flashed yellow and red, a clear sign of anger and agitation, as he turned to Bulma, "<If you're with these warmongering apes, there is nothing I can do for you>." 

"<Please! Wait! Surely you wouldn't condemn an entire planet to destruction. I came all this way to save my people and my planet!" Bulma interrupted as the lizard tried to disappear into the foliage. Seeing his hesitation, Bulma continued, "<Yes, there is an evil civilization. They destroyed my people, my planet. I was sent by my parents to find Namek and ended up here. My friends have helped me to gather the Dragonballs, not to destroy a civilization but to restore one!>"

The lizard's scales flickered with color, transitioning from aggressive yellows and reds to soothing greens and blues.

"Moolin," the lizard said softly.

The trio stared blankly at the lizard.

"My name is Moolin, I am a companion of Moori," he spoke in Saiyago. "Guardian of _Planet Salada_ , home of the Saiyans and the extinct Tuffles."

"This planet's name is _Vegeta_ ," Vegeta chimed in arrogantly.

"It is now," Moolin said angrily. "About 3,000 years ago, this planet was called Salada, and was inhabited by Saiyans and Tuffles..."

"Every Saiyan cub knows that. The Saiyans defeated the Tuffles and renamed the planet Vegeta," Kakarot chimed in.

"The Tuffles were evil. They banished the Saiyans to the desert wastes, capturing Saiyans to use in their vile experiments," Vegeta chimed in. "King Vegeta the First destroyed the Tuffles, renamed the planet, and we have ruled this planet ever since."

Vegeta's tirade was ended by a blinding flash of light from the dais.

A warm, soothing voice interrupted, "It seems your knowledge of this planet's history is inaccurate, cub."

The trio turned to the source of the voice, their mouths gaping as the stocky Namekian stepped from the dais. Bulma was speechless, he looked just like Kami- green skin, pointy ears, antennae- and completely different! Where Kami was tall and lanky, this Namekian was short and stocky. Where Kami resembled a delicate rapier, Moori resembled a short sword. Both lethal in their different aspects.

"King Vegeta the First did not destroy the Tuffles, nor did he rename the planet," the Namekian corrected.

"Absurd!" Vegeta spluttered.

"It seems the Saiyans weren't thorough enough with their history," he continued. "Do let me explain. The Saiyans did destroy the Tuffles, but it was Queen Vegeta who did it."

"WHAT?!?" The trio exclaimed in unison.

"Surely the legend of the Super Saiyan wasn't lost!" the Namekian asked, before sighing at the dumbfounded youngsters. "Mooli, meet us in my sanctuary for tea. These cubs are ignorant of their own history."

"<With all due respect, Guardian>..." Bulma began.

"Moori," the Namekian supplied.

Bulma bowed her head humbly, "<With all due respect, Guardian Moori, I did not travel the universe and collect the Dragonballs for a lesson in Saiyan histories>."

"A bit unfair to speak Namekian, when your friends clearly do not," Moori said with a knowing smirk. He observed the female, "You're not a Saiyan. You can't be a Tuffle either. What are you and where did you come from?"

"I am Bulma Briefs, daughter of Trunks and Panchy Briefs, Guardians of Earth under the order of Kami and King Kai," Bulma said. "I was spared from my planet's destruction by my father who sent me to find Namek and use their Dragonballs to restore my planet and people," she explained.

Moori's gentle face turned stern, "You are a long way from Namek, youngling. However, if your search for the Dragonballs has led you to me, it would be a disservice not to educate you. It seems this history lesson could be of value to you, as well." He gestured towards the dais and Bulma stepped up. Moori turned to the Saiyans and extended his hand, "Your adventure continues, cubs, if you're brave enough to step up."

The thought of a new adventure had Kakarot's heart racing, but Vegeta glowered as he stepped up, "I am neither a cub nor afraid."

Moori chuckled as they stood upon the dais and disappeared in a flash of light.

As the light cleared, they found themselves in the center of a large circular platform, approximately the same size as the clearing below. Bulma stared in wonder at how familiar it all seemed, she turned to Moori who seemed to anticipate her thoughts.

"I had different minerals to work with than my brother, hence the similarities," Moori gestured to the architecture's familiarity, "and differences," he indicated the color differences between his sanctuary and Kami's.

"Brother?" Bulma asked.

"Yes," Moori explained as he led them to his inner sanctum. "Kami and I are brothers. Before we were born, there was a great drought on Planet Namek. Many died and it seemed the end was near. My father, Guru, sent myself, Kami, and a dozen of my brothers into space to find a planet to evacuate to. We were given the task of observing the planet for sentient life and guarding the planet if it was found. If a suitable planet without sentient life was found, we would send an alert for the others to join us on the new planet."

"What happened?" Kakarot asked.

"When I arrived I was only an egg. When I hatched, the ship automatically began transforming to this sanctuary and supplying me with everything I needed for my objective. When I matured enough to go out and observe the planet for myself I found two sentient species already living here," Moori explained. The room he had guided them to held a low stone table with large pillows to sit upon. The table was set with ancient-looking crockery, a setting paired with a pillow. He gestured for them to take a seat as he continued, "The Saiyans and the Tuffles. At the time, the two species got along as well as two species can. They were similar yet different, much like myself and my brothers. Tuffles didn't have tails, they were more advanced and intelligent, and reproduced at a much faster rate than their larger Saiyan counterparts."

Mooli returned, pushing a small cart built for his proportions, with a large pot of tea upon it. Moori smiled fondly, serving the tea to his guests as Bulma, Kakarot, and even Vegeta sat enraptured by his tale.

"Time passed, the Tuffles built villages that evolved into towns and cities. They built a shining metropolis, full of technology and science while the long-lived, but slow to evolve, Saiyans were just coming out of caves and building huts from mud." Moori sighed as his face fell, "Their intelligence was impressive, and the Tuffle inventions and innovations were amazing... but it led to hubris. Their exaggerated opinion of themselves as a species led them to exploit other species on the planet for their own gain. They manipulated the plants with science to feed their growing race, forcing Saiyans from their ancestral hunting grounds to build massive farms. Eventually, they saw Saiyans as an inferior species and sought to enslave them. So enslave them they did."

From the corner of her eyes, Bulma saw both Vegeta and Kakarot's fist clench. She smiled gently at each of them as she placed her hands gently over their fists, Kakarot returning her gentle smile while Vegeta stared intently at Moori.

"They used Saiyans to build their shining cities, harvest their crops. The Tuffles saw nothing wrong with this, to them, it seemed a logical thing. Saiyans were hardy and lived twice as long as Tuffles. Saiyans were driven from the lush sprawling plains of the central continent to the mountainous wastes, Saiyans that were captured were domesticated. Violent Saiyans that didn't follow commands were sterilized while docile, obedient Saiyans were utilized for breeding purposes."

"Disgusting!" Vegeta spat. "How could you call yourself this planet's guardian while allowing such atrocities to happen?!?"

"Why do you think I created the Dragonballs, arrogant cub?" Moori retorted. "Do you want to hear about Queen Vegeta and the Legendary Super Saiyan, or are you going to keep interrupting?"

Bulma exchanged a quick glance to Kakarot, who returned her shocked face, while Vegeta silently glared at Moori to continue.

"I decided to act, creating the Dragonballs and scattering all but two. One day I came across a Saiyan female in the fields far to the south of the Tuffle metropolis. She lay curled in a ball beneath one of the solitary trees, sobbing quietly. Her back covered with scars, crisscrossed with fresh lash marks that oozed blood. I gently touched my mind to hers, unseen, and learned of her plight. Born from a female in the Tuffle breeding program, she had never known clan or family, nor her parents. She'd lived her life a slave, in Tuffle homes as a servant until she was deemed too large and dangerous for domestic life. She was sold to a violent and cruel owner who beat her, and as I had found her, her owner had beaten her for the final time, saying he would sell her to the breeding farm in the morning."

Moori sighed, sipping his tea before continuing, "As she lay there sobbing, I placed the Dragonball at her feet. When she looked down and saw it, she picked it up. Gently touching her mind, I showed her the remaining Dragonballs, and the Dragon, giving her the knowledge that in her hands she held hope. Not only for herself but all her people. She ran. She fled the farm and never looked back. She spent decades searching for the Dragonballs, but also uniting her people. She traveled the mountains, uniting the Saiyan clans, telling them the plight of their captive cousins. With her compelling words and captivating presence, she led the Saiyans to revolt. They pillaged farms and factories, freeing Saiyans and destroying Tuffle society as a result. The Tuffles tried to retaliate, but Saiyan strongholds in the mountains were impervious to their attacks."

Bulma leaned forward, listening intently, as Moori went on, "I had almost given up the thought that she was still gathering the Dragonballs until I found her in Mooli's sanctuary, about to eat him," Moori chuckled.

"You wouldn't take it so lightly if your species was extinct due to being considered a Saiyan delicacy!" Mooli retorted before retreating with his cart.

"She had gotten caught in my storm but made it to the clearing, using the Dragonballs to activate the dais. As the Dragonballs flashed and shimmered, she asked what was happening. I told her they were ready to summon the dragon so she could make a wish. I found her wish odd at the time, but the dragon granted it," Moori said before taking a sip of his tea.

"What was it?" Bulma asked.

"What was what?" Moori asked, apparently lost in thought.

"The wish!" Kakarot asked excitedly.

"Oh!" Moori exclaimed. "She wished for three moons."

"What?!?" Bulma interjected.

"Yes, this planet originally had only one moon. I did not realize until much later why she wished for it... when the Saiyans attacked the Tuffle capital and destroyed it in a single night," Moori continued.

Bulma, Kakarot, and Vegeta sat there stunned, absorbing the information each in their own way. Kakarot sat quietly while Bulma reiterated the entire story, making sure she understood the plot points.

"What was her name?" Vegeta asked, his voice solemn.

"You know her name," Moori replied pointedly. "You bear it yourself, Vegeta the fourteenth, son of Vegeta the thirteenth, descendant and heir of Vegeta the Conqueror of the Planet," Moori answered, using the Prince's official title. He observed the young Saiyan and smiled fondly, "You even share her visage." He chuckled, "that flaming shock of hair and those piercing eyes. I see her there."

Vegeta let out a defensive but silent snarl, bearing his fangs as Moori chuckled again, "Especially when you do that."

Moori turned to Bulma, her large blue eyes peering over her cup at him in wonder, "I see her in you as well." Noting her confusion he elaborated, "Not the same way. I do not see her features in your face." He took a deep breath, sighing heavily, "I see the same hollow emptiness inside, that deep sense of loss that comes from having none to call family." He watched as her eyes filled with tears, his words striking true. Placing his empty cup of tea back on its plate, he continued, "And I also see hope. And fire. That same will to save her people. As much as the young prince here shares her body, you share her spirit."

"So Queen Vegeta was the Legendary Super Saiyan?" Kakarot asked, breaking the tense silence that had arisen.

Moori chuckled, "Oh goodness, no!" The trio looked at each other in confusion as Moori refilled their cups, "That was her mate, Broly." He paused, arching an eyebrow as if anticipating the gurgling growl that escaped Kakarot's stomach.

"Perhaps some food while I tell you the Legend of the Super Saiyan?" Moori asked with a chuckle. As if anticipating Moori's suggestion, Mooli returned with his tiny, but proportioned, cart laden with all manner of fruits and berries.

"These were the berries growing in the clearing below!" Kakarot noted before shoving a fistful of berries into his mouth.

"Yes, the Cassaberry only grows here now. They once grew wild and abundant in the great plains of the central continent, but after the Saiyans attacks on the Tuffle capitol... it became a desert wasteland and the berries went extinct," Moori offered.

"They're great!" Kakarot continued, "They're sweet but tart, and they leave an amazing aftertaste!"

Vegeta scowled at Kakarot, following his stomach like a mindless dolt, "Tell us about the Legendary Super Saiyan."

Moori smiled sadly as he began his tale, "His name was Broly, son of Paragus, Cheiftan of the Fire Mountain clan. Their clan resided in the steep valleys of the western mountains by the sea, far from the Tuffle capitol. He was strongest in his clan, besides his father, whose line had held the ancestral seat of Cheiftan for generations. The strong lead the weak, and their line held the title time and time again. They were not without compassion, however. For when the day came that a battle-worn female arrived in their mountain stronghold, spinning tales of captured and oppressed Saiyans, the Cheiftan and his son listened in disbelief. How could mighty Saiyans be brought to such slavery? Many in the clan called her a liar. Some thought her a traitor from tribes to the north or south or one of the nomadic ocean tribes that inhabited the islands to the west. She hissed in anger as she elaborated, giving the story of her past and an explanation of her lack of clan. She spoke of the horrific breeding farms where females were left used up husks, bred and impregnated long enough for the embryo to be viable and its growth completed in artificial wombs, only to be bred again into the same terrible cycle. She told the story of her youth: being pulled from her birthing pod with artificially implanted knowledge, making for a perfect pet and slave for Tuffle aristocracy. The clan listened silently as she continued her tale, describing the day she escaped and the threat of becoming part of the cycle of slavery. Broly saw the sincerity of her words and compelled his father to investigate the matter. Paragus demanded that those who doubted her words accompany them, to prove her truthful or not. Those who believed remained in the stronghold to guard the young and protect their lands. The warriors traveled to the edge of Tuffle lands, finding a large plantation full of Saiyan slaves and liberating them.

"The Fire Mountain Clan claimed the liberated Saiyans as members of their tribe, and upon their return, the clan gathered to discuss the situation. All nay-sayers who doubted the strange Saiyan female realized the truth of her story, while Broly himself pointed out that if this single location imprisoned so many Saiyans... how many more were left? A heated discussion began debating the next course of action. Some wanted to remain isolated, some wanted vengeance and freedom for their brethren, yet none supplied any solutions. The brave female who entered their camp only days before stood before the clan.

'I will liberate them. I will set my brothers and sisters free. I will break the chains of bondage, I will destroy the Tuffles, and I will do it alone if I must.'

The clan's shaman, the eldest female of the tribe and keeper of knowledge, stepped forward, 'Who are you that you would purge our clans into war?'

'I am no one. I have no clan. I have no name. I am only known by the Tuffle branding I was given at birth,' she replied. 'I was given the designation 17, and called as much by my owners.'

The shaman observed the branding mark on the female's stomach, recognizing the symbol for Saiyan names and numbers, 'It reads Vege-ta in our language. Your captors ridicule us. Your mother's name was Vege, and Ta means seventeen. They mock and shame us all with this branding. You, for never knowing what it said, and for any Saiyan who might find you to realize that you have at least 16 brothers and sisters still living as slaves.'

"There were collective gasps from the gathered members of the clan, followed by roars of anger at the injustice. Broly stood before the clan announcing that he could not in good conscience become chieftain of this clan while Saiyans lived in bondage. He concluded that the only way to overthrow the Tuffles was to unite the Saiyan clans and fight as one.  They began with a small band of warriors, liberating captive Saiyans as they skirted Tuffle territory and increasing the size of their band of warriors with each battle. They would take their battalion of warriors to all the corners of the continent, offering liberated slaves to bolster the clan's forces as they met with each chieftain. They banded the giant Saiyans of the southern mountains and the flying Saiyans of the western islands, even the nomadic pirates who sailed the great western sea swore fealty to Broly and Vegeta. After ten years of fighting alongside her, training with her, learning new techniques together... Broly knew Vegeta was his mate."

Bulma gasped at the revelation, Moori gave the same sad smile before continuing, "He began courting her as a proper Saiyan would, but having never been exposed to Saiyan culture, Vegeta did not understand the subtle signals. After uniting the Saiyan tribes, liberating thousands of captive Saiyans, they returned with their convoy to the newly minted Saiyan Capitol in the Fire Mountain Saiyan stronghold."

"Moori, this stronghold... that's where the Capitol is now, right?" Bulma asked, putting pieces together.

Moori smiled softly as he saw her putting the pieces of the story together. "Yes. The Saiyan tribes sent their strongest warriors and greatest tacticians to the Capitol, and the tactics of the war were plotted. After having his advances ignored, Broly went to Vegeta ready to pick a fight. Vegeta let him chase her far to the north, away from the Capitol, and the two fought. Between blows, Broly asked Vegeta why she ignored his advances. She blocked and parried his attacks as he continued...

'We've liberated thousands! We've united all the Saiyans! We've raised ourselves to levels of power never known to Saiyan-kind, but you would ignore my advances and dismiss me as a mate?'

"His declaration caused her to drop her guard in shock as Broly tackled her to the ground, 'Have I not proven there is no other mate for you but me? You have proven to be worthy of me, have I not proven myself to you?'

"Broly straddled her hips, pinning her arms above her head. His face inches from hers, glaring fiercely and demanding an answer when he..."

"Wait," Kakarot interrupted, his face contorting into a sour frown, "Is this a kissing story? It's starting to sound like a kissing story."

Gesturing towards the Saiyan Prince, Moori flailed exasperatedly, "A kissing story? Your prince here is their descendant! There was certainly more than kissing involved at some point!"

"But what does kissing have to do with the Legendary Super Saiyan?" Kakarot shot back.

"If you don't sit there and let me finish, you're never going to find out!" Moori shouted.

Placated, the three youngsters sat quietly, letting Moori finish his tale uninterrupted. "Now, where was I?" Moori recounted the tale to himself, "He pinned her and demanded answers only to realize Vegeta had never even seen what was in front of her.

'You are worthy. Never have I met another Saiyan as worthy of devotion and loyalty as you. I am the one not worthy of such loyalty and devotion. I was a slave. I have no lineage,' she admitted defeatedly.

'You are not a slave; you haven't been one for a long time. You are not your lineage, you must leave your past behind you if we are ever going to win this war,' Broly told her.

'There is more,' Vegeta explained. 'There is a great war looming, and I have a destiny to fulfill. I cannot take a mate until my destiny is fulfilled.'

"He grabbed her wrist and brought it to his lips, and with his sharp teeth, he gave the ancient Saiyan mark of promise. 'Then go, my mate. Fulfill your destiny and return to me.'

"With that, Vegeta left, Broly saw her heading north into the Great Northern Storms and hoped his mate would survive the destiny that awaited her. He returned to the Capitol, to work with his father and the delegates from the other Saiyan tribes on the plans for war. The Tuffles had retreated into their walled cities, guarded with mechanized sentries and powerfully advanced weaponry. An entire moon cycle had passed, and Vegeta had not returned. Broly's hope was beginning to fade when the mid-day sky turned dark as far as the eye could see. The entire planet covered in dark clouds that covered the sky and crackled with energy. Some Saiyans thought it was a sign of impending doom, but Broly knew. He felt it from a place deep within that Vegeta had fulfilled her destiny and his mate would return.

"And return she did, as the planet's new moons began to show themselves. Vegeta spun an amazing tale and having been known for her truthfulness the Saiyans accepted her tale of summoning a dragon and wishing for two more moons, while she skillfully avoided mentioning the Dragonballs. She explained that the Tuffles had ensconced themselves into a stronghold that even their strongest Oozaru could never penetrate. With three moons and conjunction of those moons into a single source of immense light, a final assault on the Tuffles would succeed. They plotted out the time of this great conjunction, drawing new realizations. If they were not successful in this attempt, they would have to wait eight years for another chance.

"The date was set, in six more moon cycles, the three moons would align as one, and the attack would commence. That night, Broly paced his chambers, unsure of his next move. A knock at his chamber door interrupted his musings, and his ki surged as Vegeta entered his chambers," Moori hesitated. As guardian of the planet, he was privy to the intimate details of what had happened but felt it inappropriate to share such details with children.

"She accepted Broly's request and became his mate," Moori said hurriedly. "In the process, a child was conceived, unbeknownst to them both. They continued with their plan, bolstering their army as they tore a path of conquest from the Capitol, east, to the Tuffle metropolis. Where once rolling hills were covered by fertile verdant fields, a desolate wasteland swallowed the land."

_A desolate wasteland_ , Bulma thought to herself, keeping quiet to allow Moori to complete his story.

"As their army marched forth, a strategic base camp was set up behind their lines, a point of defense to retreat to and maintain their position. Victory after victory left the Saiyans with a hubris that always leads to disaster. A Tuffle army had been seen to the south of the Saiyan base camp, seemingly easy pickings for the great general, Broly. Knowing that his mate had felt ill and was finally resting for the first time in weeks, he left her sleeping to take care of what he thought would be an easy mission to maintain the borders of their acquired territory. As the roar of battle dimmed, a deep-seated fear rolled over the great general. He turned to the direction of their base camp to see billowing columns of thick black smoke rising into the sky. The small band of warriors arrived back at camp to find themselves the victims of a tactical strike. Many warriors had been restrained with Tuffle technology, and few Saiyans killed... but only one was missing entirely. Frantic, Broly sped off to his private quarters, Broly found a letter laying where he last saw his mate. The bedclothes scattered with blood splattered across them, the letter said in simple Saiyago:

If you want to see your mate alive, come to the Metropolis and submit to Tuffle superiority.

"A furious rage overtook Broly, half the encampment blown to bits in his explosive release of power. It was only due to his father's influence that he was able to reign himself in. The elders and Chieftains of all the Saiyan tribes were brought together in a great council to discuss the plan of attack. They pushed their march towards the last, and greatest, Tuffle metropolis. At the walls of the city, Broly surrendered himself along with his top generals. The Tuffles had their own moment of hubris, making the Saiyans do a march of shame from the outer-most walls of the city to the central square. Their pace was slow, their heads hung low as the sun slowly sank below the horizon and the triple moons rose. Tuffle civilians cheered their soldiers and mocked and jeered at the Saiyan prisoners. They pelted them with rotten vegetables as they made their way to the central plaza, where the great Tuffle General Lychee waited.

As the group of Saiyan prisoners entered the plaza, Broly's eyes were glued to the stage at the plaza's center. There, bloody and broken, was his mate, strung up like an animal about to be butchered. Broly was held back by his comrades, as he snarled ferally at Lychee who laughed with malicious glee.

'Choose, Saiyan. Your mate or your people. Choose,' Lychee said.

'No!' Broly roared.

'Stupid Saiyan,' Lychee taunted as he threw Vegeta's severed tail at her mate. 'You would sacrifice your mate for your pride and your people?'

'My mate would never see our people kept in bondage to save herself!' Broly shot back.

Lychee laughed again at the Saiyan general brought low at his hands, he clicked a remote and from the floor of the stage rose a gestation pod. In that pod, Broly saw a familiar flaming shock of dark hair and a twitching tail in the growing moonlight.

'What about your cub?' Lychee said, gesturing to the pod. 'Would you sacrifice him to continue waging this war?'

Broly roared in anger, the shockwave of energy knocking back the Tuffles who held them captive.

'NOW!' he screamed as the small band of elite Saiyans turned their heads to the triple moons shining as one. Never before had the Tuffles experienced the Saiyans' secret weapon, and with the power of the triple moon's eclipse their Oozarus were more powerful than they had ever known."

"The Trojan Horse!" Bulma exclaimed.

Vegeta and Kakarot, broken from the magic spell Moori had woven with his words, turned to Bulma. Moori, irritated, snapped "What?"

"Earth's history, there was a city named Troy, they were invaded by another city when their elite troops hid inside a wooden horse statue and infiltrated their city! That's what Broly did, isn't it? That was his plan all along. Get a small group of elite fighters into the city and destroy it from the inside."

Moori scowled at his story being spoiled, "Well then, my brilliant little tactician, what do you think happened next?"

Bulma frowned and considered before speaking, "I would think after transforming into Oozaru, they would give a sign to the remaining troops to transform and assault the city."

Moori frowned even deeper, "Do you want to know?"

Bulma nodded eagerly as Vegeta and Kakarot sat slack-jawed at her brilliance.

"Well then keep quiet and let me finish!" Moori shouted. Bulma blushed in embarrassment and sat back in her seat as Moori continued his tale of the great battle. Her brow furrowed as she remembered back to their experience finding the Dragonballs in the ancient ruins in the desert... the 'classic signs of a gravity bomb'... buildings smashed together...

_He pointed to a matching crater a dozen yards away on the opposite side of the thoroughfare, before moving between the two and holding up his hands as he looked at the destruction around him._

_"Oozaru fought here"_

Bulma's attention was brought back to Moori's tale at the tragic end.

"During the battle Lychee killed Vegeta, and in the rage at witnessing his mate's death caused an implosion of power. He shrank as he transformed from his Oozaru, his hair taking on a golden glow and his eyes turning a piercing green. Energy crackled around him as a golden aura formed around him. He was too late to save his mate, but Broly saved his son. He even saved the remaining Saiyans before destroying the Tuffle capitol and turning it to ruin."

The children sat there, stunned to silence when Vegeta suddenly stood.

"That... was... AMAZING!" He chorused excitedly. "The histories mentioned none of this!"

"Of course not," Moori scoffed. "You probably don't even know where the Tuffle metropolis was!"

Bulma looked to Kakarot, who had an unusually stern look of concentration on his face before he turned to Bulma and spoke, "I... I think I do. We do. We did. Were there, that is!"

"You think so?" Bulma asked. "I thought so too when he was explaining the battle..."

"The plaza!" Kakarot interjected.

"The giant Oozaru... the battle craters... The crushed towers..." Bulma listed.

"I'm sure of it!" Kakarot exclaimed.

"What are you two blathering on about?" Vegeta chastised.

"Our search for the Dragonballs led us to an ancient ruin in the wastes to the east of the Capitol. We knew Oozaru fought there, but we never came across anything in the history books about battles there. I guess I hadn't really thought about it since... I was so focused on finding the other Dragonballs that I just... forgot," Bulma said.

They sat in silence, contemplating everything Moori had said.

"What have you learned today, young ones?" Moori asked.

"Hubris always leads to a downfall," Vegeta replied immediately.

"A very important lesson, Prince," Moori said with a smile. "One best learned early in life," Moori turned to Kakarot.

"Being strong is important, but family can make us stronger," Kakarot said after a moment of silence.

Moori gave a knowing smile, sure that the seeds he had sown were taking root. He turned to Bulma and gave her a meaningful look.

Bulma carefully considered Moori's tales before speaking softly, "The Dragonballs aren't a magical 'fix it' for every problem in the universe."

The boys turned to Bulma, floored into silence by her answer.

Moori gave her a nod to continue as he refilled her tea again.

"Vegeta thought that using the Dragonballs for more power would fix everything. In the end, all she got was dead," Bulma elaborated.

"But her line continued," Moori interjected gently. "Broly named their son after his mother, and that son went on to rename the planet after her."

"But she still ended up dead!" Bulma insisted. "She toppled an empire, freed her people, and she still ended up dead," Bulma was starting to lose her head. There were too many parallels, she would not end up like the ancient Saiyan queen.

"The Dragonballs aren't a magical 'fix it' for every problem in the universe," she repeated. "They have limits. I know they do and I know you do, too. Kami's dragon, Shenron, couldn't bring people back from the dead if they'd died a natural death." She tried not to think of the sister she never knew, her parents... all the people of Earth who were depending on her.

"My dragon has similar limits," Moori admitted. "Vegeta wanted to wish the Tuffles out of existence, but Shenlong refused to eliminate an entire civilization. He insisted is that was her desire she would have to accomplish it on her own without his power. She got around him by wishing for three moons."

"What other limits are there?" Bulma asked.

Moori eyed her cautiously, "Shenlong can fulfill amazing wishes, but the scope of such wishes is tied to how long between wishes. After Vegeta wished for two moons, the Dragonballs were inert for five hundred years. A surviving band of a dozen Tuffles led by Dr. Myuu found them and wished for their own planet on the furthest edge of the universe, abandoning Vegetasei completely."

"How long were the Dragonballs inert after that?" Bulma wondered aloud.

"Creating an entire planet, and transporting the remaining Tuffles such a distance left Shenlong's power depleted for two thousand years," Moori explained. "Smaller wishes take less time. There are other limitations as well," he continued. "Shenlong will not kill. He cannot suddenly make an individual more powerful," he gazed at Bulma. "He cannot revive an entire civilization from extinction."

The blood drained from her face as the realization hit her. The Dragonballs would not be her magical fix-it, her people are still dead, her planet still ashes floating amongst the cosmos. 

Seeing her distress, Moori held her hand in his comfortingly, "Do not fear, youngling. Hope is not lost. There is still the great dragon Porunga, created by my father Guru. He can be summoned by the Dragonballs on my home planet, Namek."

_Hope! There is still hope!_ Bulma remembered her original mission she'd hoped to abandon with the search for the Dragonballs of Vegetasei. "Can you give me directions to Planet Namek from here?"

Moori nodded his assent, "I shall willingly share all my knowledge with you. Your cause is valiant, save your planet and all the species that lived there. Your guardian would be proud of how far you've come with your mission."

After a moment of silence, Kakarot spoke, "So, you're not leaving?"

Bulma let out a long heavy breath, "No, Kakarot."

Kakarot hesitated, "Are you still going to summon the dragon and make a wish?"

Bulma gave him a tearful smile, "No, Kakarot."

"Can I?" he asked softly.

"You have a wish you want to be fulfilled?" Moori asked, placing his hand on Kakarot's shoulder. 

Kakarot smiled, "I do."

Bulma smiled, giving her adopted brother a hug before giving him the Dragonballs, "You helped me collect these, it's only right to give you the wish."

Moori rose to his feet, the children following his lead, "Then I suggest we go outside, there isn't enough space in here to summon a dragon!"

They returned to the great patio of Moori's lookout, Mooli skittering behind them, and Kakarot placed the six Dragonballs on the ground. Moori turned to him, placing his hands on Kakarot's shoulders and gently touching his mind and seeing a gentle soul with a giving heart. Reaching into his robes, he surrendered the final Dragonball. As Kakarot placed it with its mates, the set began to flash in unison before glowing with a steady, bright light.

"Great dragon, Shenlong, I summon you forth!" Moori called, as the Dragonballs exploded in a beam of light.

The skies went black with thunderous clouds, sparkling with gold and blue crackles of energy, reaching the edge of the horizon. The beam shivered and quaked, twisting itself into the shape of a giant serpent. Bulma gasped as the energy morphed into flesh and bone, covered in red scales that shimmered with a golden hue.

 

As the great dragon's head turned to Moori's lookout, it spoke in a huge booming voice, "You have gathered the Dragonballs and summoned me to this dimension. My time is limited, dependant on my power. Make your wish while my power is still potent!"

"Mighty Shenlong, I wish that neither Mooli nor Bulma be the last of their kind!" Kakarot called.

Moori grinned proudly at the young Saiyan's altruism, as Bulma gaped at him. Vegeta's brow furrowed in concern as he looked from one of his friends to the other.

After what seemed like an eternity of consideration, Shenlong replied in his great booming voice, "Your wish has been granted! Farewell."

Shenlong's body pulsed with light before evaporating in a shimmering crackle of energy. As his body disappeared, the ominous clouds and lightning evaporated as well. Once everything appeared normal, the trio looked around in confusion until Mooli let out a gasp of excitement.

"Moori! Can you feel them?" Mooli asked.

"Yes," Moori chuckled, as the children noticed Mooli-sized silhouettes of light shimmering all over the lookout. "There are dozens here, and I feel thousands scattered to the vast jungles of the south. It seems you are not the last of your kind anymore."

Mooli gave an excited trill as he went off in search of his brethren that had skittered off to the jungles of his sanctuary.

A brilliant beam of light attracted their attention to the center of Moori's lookout. A form appeared within it, and Bulma's jaw dropped as the human-shaped being was left in its wake. Bulma's heart thudded in her chest as she ran to what was clearly a young woman's form lying on the ground. She pushed the long black tresses back, before cradling the girl in her lap. She looked upon a familiar face she thought she'd never see again, one she hadn't seen in almost a decade.

She still wore the same clothes as the last time she'd seen her in the hangar as her father loaded her into the pod.

"Chichi!" Bulma gasped, as the girl opened her large brown eyes and locked her gaze on the face before her.

After a moment of recognition, Chichi remembered, the realization obvious on her face as it broke into a brilliant grin. "Bulma!" she cried, as the two embraced, reveling in the presence of one another.

Vegeta sighed as he watched the girls' emotional reunion, silently wondering just how they were going to explain this to his parents... another mysterious alien... magical Dragonballs that can grant wishes...

He pinched the bridge of his nose to stave off the headache he could feel forming.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, again, sorry this update took SO long. Real life just gets in the way. This chapter was REALLY tough to write, and I'm sure you can all see why. I hope everyone enjoys it. Let me know if anyone's interested in a side-story giving the details of Queen Vegeta and Super Saiyan Broly. I might tackle it as a sub-plot/histories regarding this AU.
> 
> The previous chapter that was an update will be kicked to the end of the story.


	13. The Citadel: Graduation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Final year at the Citadel.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I guess we've all noticed that I like to take huge jumps forward in time and cover the plot in a retroactive flashback to fill in the gaps. I do it to blur the line of what age they are, and kind of ignore it. Things escalate for our characters, and I don't really want to think "they're just kids".  
> For perspective, at the end of the last chapter, Bulma is 13 and just shy of her 14th birthday. By Graduation, they're all 15, and by the final scene, they're all 16.  
> Also, for perspective, been working on this chapter since AUGUST 2018.

 

She had come so far since the day she crashed on this alien planet, and as all of her peers from the Citadel's different branches filed into its grand auditorium, a glorious open-air coliseum, she felt a culmination of all her hard work. She still had her own objectives and was utilizing every advantage and opportunity to the fullest. She had learned so much in this final year, it had all but blurred together. She'd discovered new alloys to revolutionize intergalactic vessels, and her final thesis before graduation was a revolutionary new prototype of her father's interstellar engines with Bulma's personal touches improving his design.

More than that, Bulma had spent all her spare time at home with Chichi. Since perfecting the IT pads, she was able to remotely return back to the island any time with the remote platform capsule she kept in her pocket. As Bulma made her way to the coliseum where the ceremony was held, she reminisced about the day they brought Chichi home after summoning Shenlong.

 

_Bardock and Gine came crashing into Bulma's lab, having felt multiple power levels suddenly appear on the island. They found their son and their prince standing on Bulma's IT pad, the latter carrying it's creator while the former carried an unfamiliar female in his arms._

_"I really should make those pads large enough for more than two people!" Bulma said with a blush as she scrambled out of Vegeta's arms._

_Kakarot let Chichi down gently, blushing as he ran his hand through his hair anxiously; Chichi gripped his other hand tightly, afraid of the new aliens she was meeting._

_Bardock dragged his eyes over the bedraggled youths, whom he'd last heard were headed north, and spoke gruffly, "Anyone care to tell us exactly what's going on?"_

_Bulma turned to her former babysitter and friend, taking her hand, "Chichi, <this is Bardock and Gine. They've been like my adoptive parents since I arrived on this planet>. This is Chichi, she's from my planet."_

_Bardock's brow furrowed in concern as Gine's eyes went wide in surprise._

_"How did she get here? How did YOU get here? What happened? Are you all ok? That strange eclipse earlier... I was worried something horrible had happened!" Gine started chattering uncontrollably as she frantically examined each of them for injury._

_"That's actually a pretty long story," Kakarot said sheepishly._

_"We should summon Mother first, so we don't have to keep repeating ourselves," Vegeta amended._

...

Vegeta looked out at the sea of faces gathered to watch their commencement, watch their prince take one step closer to his ascension of the crown. He watched as each of the Citadel's branches divided, those graduating from the Hall of Science ascending first, followed by the Hall of Warriors, while his own branch from the Hall of Kings would be last. It is said that the Hall of Science is followed by the other Halls to protect and watch over them. The Hall of Kings behind the Hall of Warriors, because their duty would be to lead and guide those who came before.

The crowd hushed as the ascension began, the graduates from the Hall of Science filed upon the stage in ascending power level. As the weakest of the Hall of Science knelt before the King and Queen, there was a discharge of golden ki from the sovereigns as they each placed a hand on the Saiyan's shoulder. The weak but intelligent female, whose name escaped Vegeta at the moment, had bright silver ki that emanated from her chest and enveloped her body. The silvery ki bonded and blended with the golden ki of the King and Queen, forging fealty on a level that only Saiyans could comprehend. The female rose to her feet, saluting them, before leaving the stage for the next graduate.

He watched as one by one the graduates signed their loyalty to the monarchy not with blood, but with ki, each Saiyan's ki a different and unique color. Vegeta watched in awe as the last graduate from the Hall of Science, the graduate with the highest power level, took the stage to kneel before his parents: Bulma. He had gotten so used to her blue curls and sapphire eyes that he hardly recognized her. When they weren't at the Citadel, alone, she didn't wear her Saiyan hologram. Seeing her now, kneeling before his parents, she looked positively Saiyan. The hologram perfected beyond what she'd initially programmed. It aged with her, it grew with her, and she had grown into a beautiful and intelligent female.

That intelligence amazed him, she was smarter than any Saiyan on the planet, including his mother. As she knelt before the King and Queen, Vegeta worried for a moment. Would this melding of ki, this spiritual contract between sovereign and subject, work? Would the fluctuating energies cause ill effects to the holographic disguise? He watched as her ki enveloped her, a pale blue light that shimmered and melded with the King and Queen's golden royal aura, appearing as gentle pastel green to those observing in the stands. The hologram remained intact, not a single shimmer or blur. He sighed in relief and felt pride clench in his chest. She shone like the celestial objects that glittered in the sky, brilliant flashes of gold and blue that left him mesmerized of her beauty.

 

_Vegeta sat opposite his mother and Kakarot's parents as Bulma began to explain what had happened. Her explanation taking twice as long, split between Saiyago and her native language so that Chichi was not left out of the loop. After shooting her an impatient glare, Vegeta interrupted, taking over the telling of the tale the story at a much faster pace. He smirked as she shot up from the table and ran out to the lab to retrieve her old translating scouter, activating it for her friend and placing it on her ear to listen when she returned._

_The trio of adults sat there, stunned to silence as the children spun an amazing tale of magic wishing orbs, wild storms, pocket dimensions with aliens residing in them, and giant dragons that blacken the skies. Vegeta went on to tell them all they had learned from their encounter. How the Tuffles were really defeated, Queen Vegeta, and the conquering of the planet._

_"Just how does this 'Moori' know all of these things?" Sabi asked._

_Vegeta had wondered that very thing himself but hadn't had the time to inquire before they made their retreat. He opened his mouth to speak but was interrupted by Bulma._

_"I think time passes differently in that place," she said. "It felt like we were there for days when only an hour or so had passed. I suspect that this temporal anomaly causes lifespans to increase exponentially," Bulma suggested._

_"How did you get back? How were you able to use your IT pad to return here?" the usually stoic and silent Bardock inquired._

_"I spent my time delving into Namekian technology and was able to detect and connect to it using Moori's ship," Bulma explained. "He shared his technology with me. New concepts for faster than light travel, ancient star maps..." Bulma ranted on and on about all the discoveries she'd made during their time with Moori, and Vegeta watched in awe as she recollected them. She wasn't strong physically, but the strength of her mind amazed and inspired him._

_"Why were you even searching for these wish orbs?" Gine asked. "What was it that you desired so strongly that you would take such dangerous risks?"_

_Overwhelmed with emotion, Bulma's mouth fluttered like a fish out of water, and Vegeta came to her defense, "She wanted to revive her planet, but it was beyond the dragon's power."_

_Bulma recoiled, her pain on full display leaving her feeling naked and vulnerable. He could sense her discomfort and unease at her deepest pain and fears being laid out in front of those still alive that she cared about most._

_"The dragon could not restore her planet," Sabi reiterated. "But where did this one come from?" she asked, gesturing towards a wide-eyed Chichi, who had remained completely silent since their arrival on the island._

_"Uhh..." Kakarot interjected, "I wished for her."_

...

Kakarot watched as the graduates of his hall began to take the stage for their ascension. Thanks to Bulma's gravity chamber, he climbed the ranks to become first class. He was stronger than any other graduate, their teachers, and possibly everyone on the planet save the royal family and their personal guard. As the procession began, his eyes scanned the crowds for a familiar pair of brown eyes and a round face with a gentle smile, hoping beyond hope that she was there to witness. He wasn't sure why it was so important to him that she was there, but it was. As he found her, side by side with his mother and father, he felt a clenching pride in his chest. She came.

 

_"YOU wished for her?" Bardock shouted, his face red with outrage and mind reeling at what his son could possibly mean with that statement._

_Kakarot had turned to look at Bulma, whose face had paled as her eyes took on that hazy disconnect of someone not existing in that moment. He looked to Chichi, who had obviously clued into her friend's distress and took her hand in comfort._

_"Kind of, sort of... not really, but yes," Kakarot stuttered. He sighed as he saw Vegeta rolling his eyes and scoffing, deciding to finally speak his mind about things. "Look, I don't know if anyone noticed, but there's been something wrong with Bulma, and has been for a long time. She's alone. No matter how much we care, no matter how many of us care, her entire planet is gone. I tried to get her to fit in, I tried to give her a place in this world, but it doesn't fill the hole left behind. I decided to help her because she needed help, and in the end, there was only one thing I could think of to try to make things better. I wished for Bulma to not be alone," Kakarot paused turning to the newest Earthling on Vegetasei. "And then Chichi appeared."_

 

The rest of his Hall had already ascended, and Kakarot took the stage as the strongest graduate of the Hall of Warriors. His lips quirked up in a playful grin as he knelt before his sovereigns before raising his ki. Graduates from the Hall of Warriors were expected to show the extent of their ability during their ascension. As his ki rose it took on the same shimmering golden hue as the King and Queen, with sparking bolts of blue energy crackling over his body. The gathered crowd roared its approval of the display of strength and power as the shockwave was felt expanding from its epicenter, Kakarot. He felt the tiny hairs on his arms stand on end and the tingling vibrations of his energy melding and merging with the King and Queen. He felt... different. He wasn't the same cub who found an alien girl in a pod. He wasn't even the same youth who had followed that alien girl all over the planet, collecting magical wish-granting orbs. More than just becoming stronger and more powerful, he wasn't a child anymore. Despite the distance, he could still see her off in the distance standing and clapping and cheering his name and he smiled remembering her first few days on Vegetasei.

 

_Before Bulma had gone off with Moori to study his technology and get them home, she used the base camp capsule for the others to occupy their time. Moori's ship was vast, its limits vastly expanded in this pocket dimension, so having the base camp as a focal point made sense. Vegeta went to shower, leaving Kakarot alone with the new alien girl._

_He made his way to the kitchen, rambling to himself, "Are you hungry? I'm starving! I wonder if you're a picky eater like Bulma is."_

_Chichi recognized Bulma's name and chuckled softly, " <I have no idea what you're saying>."_

_Kakarot chuckled and grinned as he rubbed the back of his head, "I guess you can't understand me, huh?"_

_Chichi gasped as she watched his muscles stretch and move with sinewy grace, her eyes stopping at his face and taking in his features. " <Nope. Not a single word>," she said, answering herself. "<But, oh my goodness if you're not just a hot bag of handsome>!" Chichi sighed, "<Probably a dumb as a box of rocks though>," she smiled to herself knowing he had just as little idea what she was saying as she did of his words._

_He sat there and grinned stupidly as she chittered on, her native tongue sounding melodious in contrast to the gruff and curt syllables of Saiyago._

_Once Chichi noticed Kakarot's silent observation of her, she blushed. Pointing to herself, she enunciated clearly, "Chichi."_

_Kakarot smiled in response, mimicking her by pointing to himself and speaking clearly, "Kakarot." He frowned as he thought back to some of the words he had learned from Bulma in her native tongue and made an attempt at communication, " <Hungry>?"_

_Chichi gasped, " <How on Earth? Well, I guess we're not ON Earth, but... Bulma must have taught you! Maybe you aren't as dumb as a box of rocks! Oh my goodness, I'm so sorry I said that! That was so rude.>" She gasped to herself and turned a bright shade of red, "<Oh god! You heard me call you a hot bag of handsome>!"_

_Kakarot frowned, not understanding her, only picking out a few words like 'hot' and 'box' and 'rocks'... leaving him more confused than before. He tried again, " <Hungry? Food?>"_

_Chichi's face fell as the realization hit her, he didn't fully understand, but he knew a few words. She nodded affirmatively and returned his brilliant smile as he went about the kitchen trying to put together something she would like... not really sure why it was so important to him that she like it._

 ...

 

Kakarot's ascension was complete, and despite Bulma's explanation of the event, Chichi marveled at Saiyan society. Sure Earth had its moments, but nothing at all like this. She knew about ki and how living beings could manipulate it, but back on Earth, she'd only known of a rare few who could do just that. Her father and his master, Roshi, were two of the few she'd seen do it in person. Her father's ability was the reason Bulma's father had hired him for security. Never had she seen such a display of power, especially so publicly. From where she stood, she could barely see the stage but felt her hair thrown back by the concussive blast of Kakarot powering up. It was hard to believe he was the same boy who'd cooked for her as the fog of death lifted from her mind. The same sweet boy who blushed and rubbed the back of his head shyly when he caught her singing alone, or so she'd thought.

 

_Bulma had just made a new scouter for her, with personal modifications just for her. Chichi had wanted the full library of Earth's music downloaded onto it so she could listen any time she felt like it. Bulma had just returned to the first week of her final year at the Citadel, and Chichi was left alone with Gine struggling to fit in with a strange alien world. She wanted a piece of Earth to connect with whenever she felt the similar pressure that Bulma experienced._

_It was different for Chichi. Bulma was clever, she was as brilliant as Chichi remembered her parents being. Where did that leave Chichi? She had no special skill set. On Earth, she would still have had five years of school to figure out what she wanted to do with her life. Now she was suddenly being told she had to find a place within this strange new society, and the entire thing was overwhelming. Chichi was alone, Gine had matters to attend to in The Capitol, and she felt safe enough being left alone for a few hours. She had walked the well-trodden path down to the shore and back to the house, trying to stave off morbid thoughts and boredom._

_She entered the empty living space, turning her scouter on and[picking one of her favorite, upbeat songs](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E9kSZKxSSos), with a light feeling to make her heart not feel as heavy. She started swaying along to the beat, singing the words; her gestures mimicking her lyrics, dancing for an invisible audience._

_♪♫♬ <_ _I can't help it if I make a scene_  
_Stepping out of my hot pink limousine_  
_I'm turning heads and I'm stopping traffic_  
_When I pose, they scream_  
_And when I joke, they laugh._

 _I've got a pair of eyes that they're getting lost in_  
_They're hypnotized by my way of walking_  
_I've got them dazzled like a stage magician_  
_When I point, they look_  
_And when I talk, they listen_

 _Well, everybody needs a friend_  
_And I've got you, and you, and you_  
_So many I can't even name them_  
_Can you blame me? I'm too famous_

 _Haven't you noticed that I'm a star?_  
_I'm coming into view as the world is turning_  
_Haven't you noticed I've made it this far?_  
_Now everyone can see me burning_  
_Now everyone can see me burning_  
_Now everyone can see me burning_ _> ♪♫♬_

_"Wow!" Kakarot said, "That sounds amazing!"_

_Startled, Chichi fell to the floor, her heart thudding in her chest from both her energetic performance and the sudden realization that she wasn't as alone as she thought._

_"Kakarot!" She gasped from the floor, she reached up to activate the translation app on her scouter before pulling herself up. "What are you doing here? I thought you and Bulma would be at the Citadel!"_

_Kakarot smiled, "Vegeta's mother gave us permission to leave when we didn't have class. Bulma will teleport from her mobile lab to her lab here whenever she finishes up her projects for the day."_

_Chichi bumbled around nervously, embarrassed at being caught feeling the music to the point of losing the world around her, "I was just about to start dinner, your mother will be home soon." She looked to Kakarot shyly, "I was just having a private moment."_

_Kakarot smiled brilliantly, "Do you want help making dinner?"_

_Chichi smiled back, glad the incident wouldn't leave her subject to ridicule, "Sure!"_

...

Sabi surveyed the feast in the grand hall of the Palace, where all the recent graduates had gathered for a celebration in their honor. Her eyes glanced over each individual, remembering their ki more than their faces. Faces change over time, but ki signatures always feel the same. She finally found who she was looking for, heading for the table where her son, Kakarot, Bulma, and Chichi sat feasting. These three were the only ones left who hadn't received their assignments, and it was time to do so.

The quartet of youths jumped respectfully to their feet once the Queen had announced her presence by clearing her throat.

"While tonight is a night of revelry, see to it that you are not inebriated by the end of the night," she said before turning to her son and Kakarot. "Vegeta, you have been assigned a unit of your own as your first command."

Vegeta smiled smugly, his own version of pride and elation.

"Kakarot, you've been assigned to his unit as his third officer," Sabi explained. "Raditz will be your second officer," she continued, "and Nappa will be your first officer."

"Nappa?" Kakarot asked.

"After training the pair of you for the last five years, he requested a change of position as an instructor at the Citadel to the Prince's Royal Guard. He is first officer because he outranks the rest of you in experience. He will be there to offer Vegeta counsel and advice. Lord Frieza," Sabi spat the name, "has given your first assignment, details of the mission will be sent directly to your scouters. Be prepared to deploy in one week.

As the pair contemplated their assignment, Sabi turned to Bulma, "Follow me, I wish to speak fo your assignment."

As the young female rose to her feet to follow her, Sabi remembered leading another human girl away to a similarly private conversation.

 

_"I will speak with her privately before passing judgment," Sabi said regally, as she led the small female to Bulma's quarters and closed the door._

_The pair sat on Bulma's bed before Sabi spoke gently, "I need you to tell me what the last thing was before you were resurrected here on this planet._

_Chichi spoke, and the translator kicked in, speaking over her and dampening her own voice while using it to speak Saiyago, "I don't remember much, our parents tried to shield us from what happened, Bulma and I spent most of our time away from it all in the kitchens." Chich frowned as she tried to remember what happened that day, "It's all kind of a blur. I remember going to get <apple> slices with Bulma from the kitchens."_

_Sabi's brow crinkled at the untranslated word, deciding it wasn't worth wasting a thought on._

_Chich closed her eyes as she tried to remember and recount that day, "Bulma's father managed to hack into the ships of the aliens who invaded Earth. He did a lot of computer stuff and asked about the launch pad we had on our moon. There were explosions everywhere, and Bulma's mother had said the capitols were all destroyed. When... they attacked our home, I went with Bulma and her father to the labs." Chichi paused to catch her breath, her heart racing at the intense memory. "He put her in the pod and sent it to the launch pad on the moon. I remember a fat ugly alien with spikes all over... and fat purple lips... and a blue-skinned alien with green hair..."_

_Dodoria and Zarbon led the attack personally, Sabi noted._

_"I remember screaming and then... nothing," Chichi ended abruptly. "I don't... I don't remember anything but blackness, and then there Bulma was!"_

_Sabi observed the girl. Her power level was minuscule by Saiyan standards, but more than three times what Bulma's was without her ki enhancing bracelets. She was far too old to begin at the Citadel, but there were still positions in this world for those of substandard power. Sabi stood, and had the girl stand in the center of the room. As Chichi stood nervously, Sabi circled her. 'She doesn't have a tail, but could easily pass as Saiyan.' Maybe Gine could groom the cub into a low-level administrative position somewhere without much scrutiny. It would take some time, depending on how well she could be molded. Sabi stood before her and finally gave an approving nod before summoning her to follow._

_They made their way back to the living area where the small group waited for her judgment._

_She turned to Bulma, "You," she took a deep breath, "Are proving to be quite the troublesome cub. From here on, I expect nothing but the standard of excellence expected from graduates of the Citadel." She turned to Chichi, directing her to Bardock and Gine. "Bardock, Gine," she began, "Another cub has been abandoned..." She looked to Gine before correcting herself. "This orphaned female cub was found on your land, as Saiyan law dictates, this cub is now your responsibility to raise and rear. She is your daughter now, raise her well."_

_She turned to Gine, placing her hands on the smaller female's shoulders, "Gine, you are relieved of your duties as my personal guard. Finding a place in this world for your new daughter will be a full-time endeavor, and I leave it to you."_

_"But what about Father?" Vegeta asked._

_"Your father has enough to deal with," Sabi said sternly._

_"But surely he would want to know there are aliens residing on our planet!" Vegeta protested._

_"Well," Bulma interrupted. "Technically, he resides in a pocket dimension that's accessible from this planet."_

_Vegeta rolled his eyes in annoyance, but Sabi held up her hand and he stifled his retort._

_"I will handle it," Sabi spoke quietly._

 

Sabi led Bulma towards the throne at the head of the large hall, behind which lay a hidden entrance to a secret passage. They followed the dimly lit passage when Sabi spoke.

"Surely you've realized by now that I took a personal interest in your education," she remarked casually.

Sabi noticed her hesitation before responding, "You moved me up a year. You eliminated my requirement to spar. You assigned me to the Hall of Science."

"Yes," Sabi explained. "Your ability and knowledge are what allowed you to move forward. Your ability to handle a raging Saiyan and the subsequent explosive battle with my son was cause enough to remove the requirement of sparring. I have much bigger plans for you."

They reached a large, thick, metal door. Sabi held her hand to the panel next to it, and after a series of affirmative tones the massive door retracted allowing them to pass. As they entered the chamber, the lighting engaged and Bulma gasped.

"My ship!" Bulma exclaimed.

It was carefully cataloged, each component carefully displayed and identified... and coated with a layer of dust.

"My husband made a pledge, and by extension, I have as well," Sabi said. "You are free to reassemble your ship and make plans to leave this planet."

Bulma gasped, a look of disbelief on her face. Sabi could see her brain going into overdrive, the cogs in her mind whirring to life and obvious on the younger female's face. She stifled a chuckle at the sight.

"Do not think your debt repaid," Sabi disrupted her thoughts, and Bulma turned to her with a blank look on her face. "You have already used a considerable amount of resources during your tenure on this planet." She gestured towards the disassembled pod, "And you will continue to demand resources in the future. I propose a trade... a treaty of sorts between what remains of Humanity and the Saiyan Empire."

Bulma stood there, her brows furrowed in concentration, unsure of what was being demanded of her.

"In return for the resources to recreate your technology, you will share this technology with the Saiyan Empire. As the keeper of the knowledge of Humanity, it is your knowledge to share."

Bulma was silent for a moment, before laughing heartily with a wide grin on her face, "You couldn't crack his code!"

Sabi growled and let her guard drop, "It was too complex. I was able to reverse engineer the pod, but even after all this time, we haven't been able to begin building the prototype."

Bulma circled her disassembled ship, surveying, "How far did you get?"

"We cracked the first layer of code then hit a firewall. Over and over, it felt like it would go on infinitely!" Sabi sighed.

"How many firewalls did you pass before you gave up?" Bulma asked.

"Three hundred and twenty-seven," Sabi said.

Bulma chuckled, "And why stop there?"

Sabi groaned, "Because a large yellow face with a smile popped up on the screens laughing in this deep malicious voice. A virus had been uploaded and crashed my entire system and sent me back to the beginning."

Bulma laughed again, "That sounds like Dad. He probably would've tried to get you with the same trick again, and a few others."

"But you can access the data?" Sabi asked.

"Oh yes. Of course I can," Bulma replied. "In return, you will provide me with protection from those who would harm me... until our treaty is complete, of course?"

"Certainly," Sabi replied.

"Then when do we get started?" Bulma asked.

 ...

**Elsewhere in the universe:**

Zarbon swirled the wine in his glass, he preferred the lighter colored wines of his home planet, but the ships were not stocked with delicacies from his planet. He frowned at the blood red wine's appearance as he closed his eyes and at least enjoyed its rich fruity flavor. He sighed in annoyance, they'd searched almost a hundred planets and were still no closer to their goal: find the Earthling. They'd destroyed a half dozen planets for insurrection during their search, and a half dozen more simply to prove a point. No one rebels against Lord Freiza. 

He was interrupted from his musings by the thunderous footfalls of what could only be Dodoria, whose stench hit Zarbon's nostrils before the door to the ship's bridge even opened.

Dodoria paused as he saw Zarbon reclining with a glass of wine in the captain's chair, "Should you really be doing that? What if Freiza calls?"

Zarbon rolled his eyes as he finished his glass, "Does your visit have a purpose, Dodoria?"

"Still nothing on the girl. The spies we sent ahead of us came up with nothing. Also, we've received reports of an eclipse on Vegetasei," Dodoria stated.

Zarbon rolled his eyes again, "And I should care, why?"

"Because the claims are that the entire planet was shrouded in darkness," Dodoria explained. "And according to star maps, there shouldn't be a viewable eclipse for another couple of years. There's no scientific explanation for it."

The freak celestial event puzzled Zarbon, whose train of thought was again disrupted by the chirping of the ship's communications system.

"General Zarbon, sir!" The comm tech called.

"What IS it?" Zarbon shouted, his voice taking on an annoyed trill.

"It's Lord Freiza, sir!" the comm tech sputtered nervously.

Dodoria glanced at Zarbon from his peripheral vision, seeing him flinch and tense up. Before either of them had a chance to comment, Freiza appeared before them on the massive display.

"Ahh, my feckless Generals hard at work," Freiza sneered. "So, have you found my elusive Earthling escapee yet?"

There was a pause as Dodoria and Zarbon considered their words, and Freiza's face contorted with rage.

"I shall assume your silence means 'no', you have not captured her," he spat. "You've searched hundreds of planets, come up with nothing, and destroyed entire systems in the process." Freiza's face took on a stony glare, "The two of you are costing me time and money, and since time is money, doubly so."

Both Dodoria and Zarbon flinched as Freiza's admonishment continued, "You have 1,000 Standard Galactic days to finish your search, or the consequences will be dire."

"But, sire!" Dodoria interrupted, "There are still a thousand planets left to search!"

Freiza sneered at him, "Then I suggest you divide and conquer, or I will!" He drew his finger across his neck a warning before the screen cut to black.

The pair of disgraced generals moved their discussion to the adjacent conference room, spitting curses and mumbling under their breath.

"We don't have time to keep playing diplomatic games," Zarbon noted.

"No shit," Dodoria retorted.

Zarbon glared at him, "We will stop at starbase Freiza 81, requisition an additional cruiser and restock. Then divide and conquer as Freiza commanded. You can send the reports to me and I will compile them for Lord Freiza."

Dodoria raised an eyebrow, "So I report to you now?"

"Do you want to do it?" Zarbon asked, his irritation showing.

Dodoria considered and shrugged off the idea of picking up additional duties like paperwork. "What about this nonsense on Vegetasei?" he asked.

Zarbon's brow furrowed into a malicious frown, "I want spies on the ground. I want eyes and ears all over the palace. Find your best and put them directly under my command."

Dodoria turned on his heel and headed for the door, "Whatever you say, 'boss'." 

...

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I chopped it here. This chapter was going to be probably twice this length, but I figured I'd stop here, post it, and keep going with a new chapter.  
> Things are a little re-arranged, but we're moving forward!


	14. Carry On My Wayward Daughters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So, I accidentally posted before I had the chapter complete.  
> Accidental cliffhanger.  
> Guess the last scene's going to be in the next chapter, making it even freaking bigger.  
> crap.  
> Well, I can't un-publish a chapter.
> 
> reading time: appx 26 mins

Chichi woke to the soft tapping on her bedroom door. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes and saw the darkness beyond her curtains, and wondered who could possibly be waking her at such an ungodly hour. She stumbled to the door, cracking it open and trying to focus on the body illuminated by the faint light in the hall.

"Kakarot!" Chichi gasped. Her heart thudded wildly in her chest as a full-blown grin split his face, "What are you doing here? Did you just get back?"

Kakarot kept grinning, "Come with me, I want to show you something!"

"Kakarot! It's the middle of the night! Can't it wait until morning?" Chichi whined as she continued rubbing her bleary eyes.

"It can't. Come on, Chichi! Where's your sense of adventure? I promise it will be worth it!" Kakarot said, grabbing her hand and pulling her down the hall.

"Where are we going?" Chichi asked as they shot past her shoes and out the front door.

"You'll see! Follow me!" he replied cheerily.

Chichi groaned, "It's the middle of the night! I don't have the strength to fly right now!"

Squeezing a gasp from her, Kakarot scooped her up and took off into the moonless sky. They circled the island, closing in on the far side of the island where the volcanic activity was strongest, and hovered.

"Look," he whispered as he pointed. In the shadow of the volcano was a stream of pale green light, flowing down the peaks in a gentile meandering path. At the end of the path was a circular pool, where the luminous green swirled in a pearlescent shimmer. Kakarot brought them down to the pool's edge and she noticed the steam rising from its surface.

"I've never seen this before," Kakarot admitted. "I only saw it because it was so dark coming back from the Capitol, I couldn't help but notice."

"Well, if you wanted someone to explain it, you should've woken up Bulma," Chichi snorted, moving closer to the water's glowing edge and stepping in, ankle deep. The hot water soothed her aching feet, pained from hours of hustle and bustle in the palace kitchens, and she groaned. "Oh my god, this feels amazing."

The sound of her groan caused the hairs on Kakarot's tail to stand on end, it swished behind him as he removed his own shoes and joined her soaking her feet in the luminous pool. 

"I didn't want someone to explain it to me," Kakarot quietly. "I wanted someone to enjoy it with," he gave her a questioning glance.

Chichi turned away so Kakarot wouldn't see her blush and tried to change the conversation, "Yeah, Bulma can't seem to just enjoy things. She always has to pick everything apart and understand it before she can enjoy it."

There was an awkward silence as the two sat there, swirling their feet in the warm water. Kakarot smiled, dipping his tail in the water, and while Chichi was distracted he tickled the wet tip of his tail in her ear. His eyes went wide with surprise when he saw the luminescence stick to her skin, and he laughed. As she jerked to the side, she started wiping and smeared the luminous green all over her face, causing him to laugh even harder. She stuck her tongue out at him and scooped up a handful of the phosphorescent water, splashing him square in the face. She laughed at the giant splotch of glowing green covering his face, his dark eyes looking positively black in contrast. Her laughs began to die in her throat as she saw his tail swishing behind him, reminding her of Dr. Breif's cat right before he would pounce on a toy. Her eyes went wide as she realized his intent.

"Kakarot! Don't you dare!" Chichi threatened, too late.

Kakarot pounced, tackling her into the waist-deep water. She came up for air gasping as Kakarot sat, chest deep in the water. In her frustration, she used both her arms to splash him. The pair had an all-out water-war, splashing each other and laughing and sputtering in the warm glowing spring.

"Okay! Okay! I surrender!" Chichi gasped between fits of laughter, before laying back to float in the warm water.

After a few moments of companionable silence, Chichi spoke softly, "I'm glad you came home safe."

She turned to Kakarot, his eyes a shimmering black reflecting the stars above them on that moonless night, and felt her heart flutter at the ethereal look of the soft green droplets hugging the sharp lines of his face.

"I'm glad you all came home safe," she amended. "You, Raditz, Nappa... even Vegeta." She forced a chuckle to alleviate her anxiety.

"Nappa said it's a tradition to celebrate victories," Kakarot supplied, trying to take control of the conversation. "I told him and Raditz that I'd join them... and I wanted you to come with us."

Chichi's eyes widened in surprise, "You do?"

"Of course I do," Kakarot said, breaking eye contact. "I like you... like spending time with you." He looked up, and Chichi didn't know what to make of the look he gave her. It was... softer somehow. She barely noticed how close he'd gotten. "Will you come with me?"

She shivered at his tone and hesitated at the look in his eyes, all blazing heat and energy.

 "Of course I will," Chichi said softly. Something about the moment felt intense and terrifying in a strange way, and Chichi felt the sudden need to run. To where, she wasn't sure, but she had to break this moment before something happened. "We should head back though, I have to report to the kitchens in a few hours and I'm still tired," she all but whispered.

Kakarot nodded, grabbing her gently and taking to the air. They hovered briefly, Kakarot flaring his ki to dry them both, the water evaporating, leaving a slight glow behind. The flight home was silent, in a comforting way, and by the time Chichi stood before her bedroom door, she was half asleep on her feet.

"I'll see you tonight," she said before slipping into her room.

...

The sun had set not long ago as Kakarot and Chichi arrived at "Rutaba's", a hole in the wall eating establishment near the ancient ports of the Capitol. 'The food is shit, but they don't water down their liquors,' Nappa had said. After Kakarot's first, and successful, mission Nappa had insisted they go celebrate. Vegeta had dismissed their gathering and decided to spend his time between missions training, even though their next one hasn't been assigned yet. Kakarot understood that his squad was sent in to basically destroy the native planet's inhabitants, leaving the remains for Lord Freiza to make a profit from. Something about that just didn't settle with him. It just didn't feel right, overpowering and destroying these alien races... only to what? Give the planets to Freiza? Why?

Those kinds of thoughts were the very reason for this outing. He needed to stop thinking and just _be_ for a while. He smiled at the small female next to him, there was no one he would rather 'be' with than Chichi. Everything about her made him smile and feel warm all over. He loved her cooking, silently preferring it to his own mother's, but never saying such a thing. The four of them made their way to a table near the far wall from the entrance and summoned some refreshment. Their drinks had just arrived at their table and Raditz had finished telling Chichi about the planet they had been on.

He was silently watching Chichi as Raditz regaled her with a slightly exaggerated version of their planetary purge, seeing her brow furrow in concern at the events. Her face crinkled up adorably as if she'd smelled something foul and Kakarot chuckled.

"What in the world is that horrible noise?" she interrupted.

The group turned in unison to the male Saiyan in the center of the room, singing in a deep baritone, "Regale me with the tales of my ancestors... the bloody battles they fought!"

The entire table broke into peals of intoxicated laughter, save Chichi, who subtly covered her ears with her hands.

"Rutaba's has a contest," Nappa explained after catching his breath. "Sing for your drinks. Earn the crowd's approval and Rutaba's pays your tab. I'm guessing he's a couple of hundred credits deep to make an attempt like that."

The jeering in response to the male's attempt was enough of a sign that he wasn't earning the needed affection to pay off his debt.

Chichi scowled, "He's off-key. He can't carry a melody to save his life, and he has no clue how to keep time."

Raditz laughed heartily from behind his brew, "I had no idea you were such a musical prodigy."

Chichi blushed, "Well, I'm not. I had some... training when I was young." Remaining deliberately vague to keep up the ruse that was he fabricated personal history. 

The group turned back to the open area in the center of the room to see a female Saiyan who had taken the stage to perform. Perform, she did, to the rowdy response of the mostly male audience. She sang a sultry song about the parallels between battle and sex, doing seductive poses to rile up her audience. Kakarot turned away, a flush to his cheeks as she stroked her tail and the males in the room cheered. He noticed Nappa and Raditz sitting there slack-jawed and shook his head. Chichi's face held a look of confusion and disgust. Kakarot chuckled at how she obviously didn't have a grasp on Saiyan culture, or she'd be three shades of scarlet.

The female finished her song, facing their table before winking and blowing a kiss in their direction. Chichi scoffed, and Kakarot saw her roll her eyes.

"What was wrong with that one?" Raditz asked, before polishing off his drink.

"Her singing was mediocre at best," Chichi scoffed. "Using sex appeal to win over an audience is setting the bar pretty low."

"How so?" Kakarot asked.

Chichi flipped her hair over her shoulder, "True talent doesn't have to rely on cheap tricks like sex appeal." She gestured to Nappa and Raditz, "Show enough skin and everyone will cheer."

Nappa laughed and Raditz shot back, "You think you could do better?"

"Is that a challenge?" Chichi glared, pounding a fist on the table.

Nappa chuckled, "Yeah. Show us what they call music in your hidden clan!"

Kakarot watched quietly as the tiny female seemed infinitely larger, standing from their table and striding towards the middle of the room. He didn't know what to make of the situation, but the entire place grew quiet and she finally turned to her audience. Her hands clasped primly in front of her, she began to [sing](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VfCVrfi9BXg&list=PL8AAD7AB65A981F93). 

_" <Is there anybody going to listen to my story?  
All about the girl who came to stay...>"_

Kakarot's eyes went wide, she wasn't singing in Saiyago! He wasn't able to pick out much of what she had sung, "story" and "girl" he recognized, but what had surprised him most was the sound coming from the diminutive female before him. Her tone was soothing but sad, and he felt the prickle of hairs rising from his scalp down to the tip of his tail.

 _ "<She's the kind of girl you want so much _  
_ It makes you sorry..._

 _ Still, you don't regret a single day. _  
_ A girl, girl>"_

Something about the way she sang left him breathless, and he found himself exhaling forcefully as her sound changed completely. She locked eyes with him as she completely changed gears into an upbeat happy melody with words he couldn't focus on long enough to understand. It felt like she was [singing ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fVnH-D0ia7g&list=PL8AAD7AB65A981F93&index=2)just for him.

 _ "<It feels so right now. _  
_ Hold me tight,_  
_ Tell me I'm the only one,_  
_ And then I might,_  
_ Never be the lonely one._  
_ So hold me tight,_  
_ Tonight, tonight,_  
_ It's you, you, you, you._  
_ Hold me tight,_  
_ Let me go on loving you_  
_ Tonight, tonight,_  
_ Making love to only you._  
_ So hold me tight,_  
_ Tonight, tonight,_  
_ It's you, you, you, you, you_  
_ Don't know,_  
_ What it means to hold you tight,_  
_ Being here alone tonight,_  
_With you,_  
_It feels so right now._  
_Hold me tight,_  
_ Let me go on loving you_  
_ Tonight, tonight,_  
_ Making love to only you._  
_ So hold me tight,_  
_ Tonight, tonight,_  
_It's you, you, you, you, you!_ >"

Chichi finished her song to a healthy dose of applause but frowned that it was nowhere near the level of the female's performance prior to hers. She stormed back to the table, and Kakarot offered words of encouragement.

"That sounded great, Chichi!" he called.

Chichi scowled, "These guys just don't know true talent."

"Maybe if you had sung in Saiyago..." Kakarot offered but was cut off by a deadly glare from Chichi.

"Let's get out of here," she muttered.

Raditz chuckled, "Now, now, don't go getting all upset that you lost."

"THIS time," Chichi corrected. "I lost THIS TIME. Next time, I'm going to blow the roof off this place."

Taking her threat literally, Nappa and Raditz let out echoing peals of laughter.

...

Bulma almost dropped her project as Vegeta came thundering into her lab like a hurricane, "Woman! Your pathetic gravity chamber is no longer working."

She groaned, "First of all, it's not mine, it's Kakarot's. Secondly, it is far from pathetic. What did you break this time?"

"Kakarot lost interest in its use and gave it to me, and now I know why," he said disdainfully.

"So, are you going to tell me what the problem is, or are you just going to keep insulting my work?" she shot back.

"I am no longer seeing the gains in strength and power I once was," Vegeta admitted.

Bulma sighed, "I could probably whip up some bots to challenge you..."

"Good, I will return before my evening training for them," Vegeta said.

"I can't right now, I'm working on a project for Chichi," Bulma said.

Vegeta scoffed, "What could be more important than a request from your sovereign?"

Bulma rolled her eyes, "Well, she asked politely, first of all. Secondly, she at least had the common courtesy of bringing a treat to bribe me with," she gestured to the plate of tarts on her desk. "But I will certainly build you training bots, your highness," she said with a hint of annoyance. "As soon as I finish what I'm working on for Chichi."

Vegeta looked at the item on her table and couldn't make any sense of it, "What is that?"

"It's an electric <guitar>", she replied, using the human word for the instrument since it had no Saiyan equivalent.

"A guitar?" he tested the foreign word on his tongue. "Is it a weapon?" he asked, twisting the knobs on the guitar's body.

Bulma laughed, "it's for making music!"

"Music?" Vegeta said derisively.

Bulma chuckled again, "Yeah, music. Like this," she pulled the guitar into her lap and played a scale while singing along. "Do, Re, Mi, Fa, So, La, Ti, Do!" she finished the scale with a chord.

Vegeta scoffed, rolling his eyes, "Music is a complete waste of time."

She presented the paint job she had done on the guitar's body, meant to resemble the night sky of Vegetasei, "Isn't it pretty?" she said singsongingly as she strummed again playing a few more experimental chords. "We're making music!" she sang again.

"What's the point? You're not really making anything," Vegeta crossed his arms and turned away as Bulma continued to tease him.

"If it isn't anything, then why does it sound so good?" Bulma asked as she strummed chords while circling him. "Here's one that Chichi's mother used to [sing](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rdlc4b5NL5g) to us as children... <Life and death and love and birth, and peace and war on the planet Earth... Is there anything that's worth more than peace and love on the planet Earth?>" She smiled at Vegeta and continued teasing him with song, "Come on and sing it with me..."

"Sing?" Vegeta snorted.

"The words relate to the key..." Bulma sang.

"Ki?" Vegeta was completely lost as to what she was talking about.

"It fits a pattern, it fits a pattern... So just repeat after me..." She smiled as she sang, pleased at the annoyed crook of his brow.

"<Life and death and love and birth>..." She waited to see if he'd sing back and smiled that the prince was too uptight to do so.

"<Life and death and love and birth, and peace and war on the planet Earth>..." Vegeta rolled his eyes as she ad-libbed new lyrics, "I guess we're already here... I guess we already know... we've all got something to fear..." at that Vegeta huffed and Bulma smiled as she continued, "We've all got nowhere to go... I think you're all insane! But I guess I am too... anybody would be if they were stuck right here with you!" Bulma laughed as she continued strumming.

Vegeta made his way towards the door, waving his hand dismissively, "I will expect my training bots in two days, Woman! My squad deploys in ten." 

Bulma laughed, before singing loudly after him, "<Life and death and love and birth, Life and death and love and birth, Life and death and love and birth>," the door closed behind him as she began to sing to herself. "<and peace and war on the planet Earth>..." She sighed sadly as she thought about the lyrics, taking the guitar off and placing it in its case. "<Is there anything that's worth more... Is there anything that's worth more... Is there anything that's worth more than peace and love on the planet Earth?>"

... 

Almost two full moon cycles had passed before Kakarot and his team returned. Another successful mission and another midnight swim in the phosphorescent pools at the base of the volcano. Again, the offer to return to Rutaba's with the rest of Kakarot's team to celebrate. This time it would go differently, and she would show them all. With Bulma's gift, that she had named 'Stardust', was stored safely in its capsule. Bulma had really outdone herself. Chichi knew that the task of building an authentic electric guitar was no serious challenge. Building the electronic accessories to go with it was what perked her interest. She'd handed Chichi a small bronze-colored medallion, explaining that it was both her speaker and her amp. She had a small silicone pedal station that connected to her guitar wirelessly, allowing her to record and loop verses and phrases, so she solo a performance. Bulma even made a microphone that slipped over her ear and go entirely unnoticed, while connecting to the pedal station, allowing her to split her voice into chords. She'd practiced the entire time their team had been deployed.

She was sure about her performance and had used the practice to distract herself from worrying about Kakarot, and the rest of his team by extension. Surprisingly, Vegeta and Bulma had joined them that evening. While the older soldiers drank like they didn't have a tab to pay, the younger members of the group nursed their drinks a bit more responsibly.

The first contender took the stage, a tall and slender Saiyan in purple, and the entire table laughed hysterically as he sang a bawdy song about needing a female to stroke his tail at night. His obviously satyrical performance got him a decent round of applause as another Saiyan took the stage.

"I see," Bulma said after a few more sips of her drink. "So this is why you had me build Stardust?"

The boys' conversation died down, and Chichi smirked into her cup.

"Stardust?" Kakarot asked.

"You'll see soon enough," Bulma said with a chuckle. "So, what are you singing?"

Chichi smirked, "<[Carry On My Wayward Son](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fVnH-D0ia7g&list=PL8AAD7AB65A981F93&index=2)>"

The males eyed her at the foreign words, while Bulma's face lit up.

"I dunno if they'll go for it," she said.

"They'll go for it," Chichi said calmly.

"Trying to size up the competition?" Nappa asked, slugging down his fifth brew.

Nappa set down his glass, and from her periphery, Chichi saw a familiar female and scowled. That classless female from last time was making her way to the center of the room. She sang a sultry song about pleasuring a male while writhing on the floor in explicit positions. The expected cheering and whistling began, Chichi rolled her eyes and gave a huff of annoyance before turning to the table to drink. Raditz and Nappa had the same slack-jawed looks on their faces, while Kakarot and Vegeta engaged in conversation to avoid the spectacle entirely. Bulma sat there with a twisted look of shock, astonishment, and disgust.

The female concluded her song to a healthy dose of applause and whistles before blowing a kiss to their table again.

Chichi was livid, ready to show them all a thing or two about showmanship.

Bulma's familiarity with Chichi's disposition made her smile as she turned to her, "You're just going to sit there after that? Get out there!"

Popping her capsule, Chichi slipped her microphone over her ear and strapped on her guitar. She plugged the speaker into it and grabbed her silicone pedal station.

"What was that?" Kakarot asked.

"That was Chichi going off to war," Bulma said.

The males sat there confused as Chichi made her way to the center of the room. She threw down her pedal station and began tapping the buttons with her toe.

"Come on, Scrawny! We haven't got all night!" came a heckler from the audience.

"Shut your pie hole, Fatty!" a familiar female voice heckled back.

Chichi let out a soft whistle to test the microphone's effects, and upon hearing the desired sounds, she blew the audience away with the power of her voice.

 _Carry on my wayward son_  
_There'll be peace when you are done_  
_Lay your weary head to rest_  
_Don't you cry no more_

For the briefest of moments, the entire place was silent as a tomb, and Chichi blared into a guitar solo that showcased different styles, and her mastery of all of them. She would stomp on her pedal and the entire sound of her instrument would change. As the solo faded to a close, Chichi stepped on another pedal and a piano accompaniment joined her.

 _Ahhhh-ahhhhh_  
_Once I rose above the noise and confusion_  
_Just to get a glimpse beyond this illusion_  
_I was soaring ever higher_  
_But I flew too high_

 _Though my eyes could see, I still was a blind man_  
_Though my mind could think, I still was a mad man_  
_I hear the voices when I'm dreaming_  
_I can hear them say_

She tapped the pedals with her foot again and the whole song changed again. Her voice split into chords, giving it power and presence that Bulma and Kakarot and anyone present could feel. Full percussion joined the piano, driving the melody.

 _Carry on, my wayward son_  
_There'll be peace when you are done_  
_Lay your weary head to rest_  
_Don't you cry no more_

Chichi gave them another raging, but short guitar solo before tapping her pedal and cutting back to just the piano with light percussion accompaniment. 

 _Masquerading as a man with a reason_  
_My charade is the event of the season_  
_And if I claim to be a wise man, well_  
_It surely means that I don't know_

 _On a stormy sea of moving emotion_  
_Tossed about, I'm like a ship on the ocean_  
_I set a course for winds of fortune_  
_But I hear the voices say_

As Chichi slipped into the chorus again, she heard cheers rippling through the audience, and she gave them another showstopping guitar solo just to show off, before heading for the final verses.

 _Carry on, you will always remember_  
_Carry on, none can equal the splendor_  
_Now your life's no longer empty_  
_Surely heaven waits for you_  
_Carry on, my wayward son_  
_There'll be peace when you are done_  
_Lay your weary head to rest_  
_Don't you cry_  
_Don't you cry no more_  
_No more_

As she finishes her song, she's deafened by the roar of the crowd that had somehow multiplied in her six-minute performance. Apparently, Saiyans had not only heard her outside but halfway across the district and flooded the bar to find out what was going on.

Slowly, the cacophony of cheers evolved into a shout of "One more song!" repeated as Chichi stood there breathless. She scanned the crowd in the dimly lit pub as it writhed and throbbed, threatening to break down the walls. Chichi just stood there, awestruck at the response, before her brain could even catch up to what was going on around her. She turned to see an older female Saiyan striding towards her. The jagged scar that covered the left side of her face gave her a fierce and intimidating look that had Chichi shirking back as she approached. She flinched as the Saiyan grabbed her hand and raised it high, to another round of cheers erupted from the crowd, this time evolving into chants of "Ru-ta-ba! Ru-ta-ba!"

Rutaba raised her hand to silence the excited crowd, "I believe we have a winner! What's your name kid?"

"Chichi," she said softly.

"Wuzzat?" Rutaba asked again.

Chichi smiled, deciding to go with a pseudonym, "You can call me Dragon Lady."

Rutaba let out a chuckle that echoed through the audience, "Well, Dragon Lady, looks like you won the crowd tonight. They want another song, think you've got one in you?" 

Chichi stood there, dumbfounded. She had not planned for this. One song, blow the roof off the place, get free drinks, go home. She hadn't expected requests for an encore. Her mind raced, flicking through the mental catalog of songs in her head. _Something with a fast beat and excellent guitar riffs_ , she thought, only to realize she had to translate it in her head. Chichi groaned at the thought and Rutaba shot her a questioning glance. _Well, the lyrics will be a little rough_ , she thought to herself, _and I won't have pre-programmed percussion..._

Chichi adopted a mask of seriousness as she nodded to Rutaba and took a few steps back to prepare for her [song](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I0hXq6vFPyU). She gently strummed the lilting melody as she considered the lyrics, before stomping on a pedal and changing the guitar's tone from a light acoustic to a sharp electric and slamming the line into overdrive. Her hands moved with fluid grace, but her mind struggled with translating the lyrics in her head. _Stick to the chorus_ , she considered, hastily throwing together a rough translation as she reached it.

_Demons in an angel mask...  
Hoping that I'll do just what they ask..._

_Telling me they know what's right...  
Lead me to the light..._

_"For the sake of everyone,  
You have to destroy the evil ones!_

_That's the only path, you see."  
So they said to me..._

 

She jumped back into the melody, stepping out of her head for a minute as her fingers moved of their own volition. She scanned what she could of the pub, searching for her friends among the roiling crowd. She saw Bulma front and center, bouncing to the beat, waving her hands in the air, singing along to the lyrics she knew. She smiled fondly at her, noticing Vegeta standing oddly protective behind her. She glanced further back to see her adopted brother Raditz standing there with a look of shock and amazement, with a hint of pride. To his right stood Nappa, his fist in the air howling in approval. Her fingers almost faltered in their plucking as her eyes fell of Kakarot. He had grown so much on these last few missions, his chest and shoulders increasing in bulk to fit his new, larger, frame. What caused her to falter was the look on his face. She couldn't explain it and didn't understand it, but the throbbing in her chest that released a radiating head throughout her body wasn't due to the music. For a brief instant, Chichi wondered if she was imagining it... reading too much into subtle glances and shy smiles.

 _FOCUS!_ She yelled at herself, realizing she was headed back into the next chorus.

_Now the demons come again...  
Dressing as their little angel friends._

_Beckoning, they've caught my view  
And they say to me:_

_"Go ahead and save them all...  
Go and be their hero, standing tall!_

_All the people wait for you,  
it's your destiny!"_

She broke off into the final leg of the song, feeling in her heart and soul that this was what she wanted out of life. The thrill of performing music, making music, the flow of the music rushing over her and washing the entire universe away until all that was left was her and the melody. it was liberating. It was... distracting. She snapped out of her trance, realizing she was almost done. As the song wound to a conclusion, she took a deep breath and smiled fondly at her friends. The bar erupted in a roar of approval that shook the beams and rafters, and Kakarot turned to his brother laughing loudly as he pointed towards the ceiling.

"Should we tell her she didn't quite blow the roof off?" Raditz laughed.

"Nah," Kakarot replied. "She earned this."

...

In the months following Chichi's blow-out performance, Bulma settled easily into her new life. Queen Sabi had assigned Bulma to be her personal lab assistant, with her role as ruler many of her personal projects had taken a back seat. With Bulma there to keep Sabi's personal lab up and running, project after project was coming to completion. The entire Saiyan fleet had been upgraded with advanced shielding, engines, and new weaponry that was a hybrid of human-Saiyan genius. Sabi had given Bulma permission for major projects: renovating their satellites and installing solar fields on Vegetasei's moons. The automated project would use materials on all of Vegetasei's moons to build gigantic solar fields, and by the end of the year, the entire planet would not only be completely self-sustaining but also able to sell export the excess energy for a profit.

Able to devote her time solely on innovation, Bulma had completed project after project while still rebuilding her original pod in her 'spare' time. What she loved most about her position was the freedom to spend hours upon hours delving into projects without interruptions, while still having the freedom to return to her island home and her family.

Sure, it was much quieter since Bardock, Raditz, Kakarot, and even Vegeta had been away on missions. It was still comforting to return to Gine and Chichi, and have that social connection that all simian species seemed to crave. Chichi was still struggling to find her place in the world, and Bulma wondered a tiny bit if Gine was holding her back with her own maternal desires. Still, Bulma enjoyed their nightly meals and walks along the shore as the sun sank below the horizon. Bulma's thoughts drifted as she worked on her latest project, studying Kale's berserker ability. While her area of focus was mechanical and technological, her devices had a biological application. She was developing new sensors, hardware, and software to study Kale's ability and extrapolate the data to ascertain the future application of that knowledge.

Bulma slid her soldering goggles over her head as she heard the familiar whooshing noise of the lab's doors opening. She smiled as Kale bounced happily into the lab.

"Well! You seem in especially bright spirits today," Bulma noted and the petite Saiyan sat down and allowed Bulma to attach sensors to her body.

Kale sputtered and studdered, tripping over her words in her excitement, not knowing where to start, "I think Cabba is going to ask me to be his mate!"

Bulma's eyes went wide, dropping one of the sensors from her shock. She picked it back up and applied it to Kale's back, "What? But you're both so young! Are you sure?"

Kale giggled, "Am I sure I want him as my mate, or am I sure he going to ask?"

"Both," Bulma said, the tone of surprise still evident in her voice.

"Well, he hasn't actually asked, so I can't be sure," Kale giggled breathlessly. "But he told me about a gathering for the Great Ape Moon, and everyone knows you find your mate during a Great Ape moon!"

Bulma completely stopped what she was doing, "Wait, what?"

"Bulma, how can you be so smart and so stupid all at the same time?" Kale laughed.

She frowned at her friend, the look on her face telling Kale to explain.

Kale sighed with a smile, "It's part of the celebration. As the moons combine and your Oozaru takes over, it leads you to your mate!"

Bulma rolled her eyes, "Kale, that's complete and utter nonsense."

Kale rolled her eyes right back, "It isn't. Anyhow, Cabba said that there's going to be a celebration at these ruins in the desert beyond the Citadel."

Bulma gave her a cautious look, "Ruins in the desert?"

"Yeah, he said Kakarot took him out there. The place looks like it was destroyed by Oozaru a long time ago," Kale replied.

"Because they did," Bulma noted. "I don't think it's a good location for a party. The buildings are close to collapse, and there's tons of Shay-Khulud there."

"Tons?" Kale asked skeptically.

"Well, ok. We only saw the one, and we killed it... but it had to weigh at least a ton," Bulma defended.

Kale laughed, "Well, Cabba's already spreading the word, so you'll just have to kill any more that show up!"

Bulma sighed, having connected all the sensors and booting up the program to study Kale's ki levels.

"I can't go, Kale," Bulma answered.

"Why not?" Kale asked.

"Because it's dangerous. My parents would never let me," Bulma replied.

"Bulma, you are a grown female. You make your own decisions in this life, not your parents," Kale replied sternly.

The pair silently went through the motions, checking Kale's ki levels to study her berzerker ability. After nearly an hour, they'd reached the end of the day's experiment and Kale made more small talk as the sensors were removed from her body.

"Did you hear about what happened at Rutaba's?" Kale asked

Bulma quirked an eyebrow in question, "I don't think so..."

"This female, our age, nearly brought the roof down with her performance!" Kale said excitedly. "She's been playing there pretty regularly for quite a while now. Apparently, when word spreads that 'The Dragon Lady' is performing, the place gets packed." Bulma chuckled as Kale continued, "You should come with us next time she's there. She sings these amazing songs that no one's ever heard before, and plays this crazy instrument I've never seen before!"

Bulma laughed as she carefully cleaned the sensors and stowed them away in their container, "If I wanted to listen to the Dragon Lady sing, I'll ask her myself."

Kale stopped dead in her tracks, "What? You actually _know_ the Dragon Lady of Rutaba's?"

Bulma chuckled as she put the box of sensors back on the shelf, "It's my sister, Chichi. Well, she's not my blood sister, she's from.. my tribe. She washed up on the shore about a year ago, kind of like how I did. There was a storm and she was separated from the rest of the tribe's fleet. She washed up on shore on our island, nothing but wooden wreckage. She lost her tail," Bulma spun the elaborate tale of hers and Chichi's origins.

Kale gasped, "That's horrible!"

Bulma eased Kale's horror, "She's ok now. She learned that having a tail isn't everything."

Kale was silent a moment, "Well, now you have to come. And bring Chichi. It would be so amazing if she performed!"

"I can't make any promises, but I'll talk to her," Bulma said before escorting the jubilant Kale out of the laboratory.

... 

Bulma arrived home that evening to the pleasant surprise of her adoptive father and brothers' return, and a huge meal prepared by Gine. Vegeta had accompanied them back from the Capitol, Bardock having invited him to share a meal. As Gine went about filling plates, the males recounted their latest mission and its success.

"Are you going to Rutaba's tonight, then?" Bulma asked with an eyebrow arched in curiosity.

Raditz chuckled, "Rutaba's has been closed since we last went. Apparently the Dragon Lady," Raditz eyed Chichi, "actually did bring the roof down. The next day Rutaba came in and the entire roof had collapsed. She hasn't quite finished the repairs."

"Well, I guess that means you're free to perform at a party, then?" Bulma asked.

"A party?" Gine asked excitedly. 

"Yeah, there's going to be a celebration for the Great Oozaru Moon, and Kale wants Chichi to sing," Bulma said casually, taking a bite from her plate.

The entire room fell silent, everyone but Bulma and Chichi completely pausing mid-motion. The girls gave curious glances around the table, Kakarot and Vegeta giving each other concerned glances while Raditz kept his head down avoiding eye contact with everyone at the table. Gine looked to Bardock, anxious worry written on her face as Bardock's brow furrowed.

"You aren't going," Bardock said sternly, glaring between Bulma and Chichi, "Neither of you."

Before Chichi could even protest, Bulma's mouth- and pride, by extension- took control. "Why not?"

"Because," Gine spoke softly. "It's dangerous. There will be Oozaru there."

Bulma scoffed, "I can handle danger. Even Oozaru," she took another bite, chewing carefully.

"You have no idea what you're talking about," Bardock said, grim determination in his voice. "These won't be like Kale. They won't be like your typical planet busting Oozaru. It's three times like that, if not more." Bardock explained, "It's dangerous, and you're not going. Neither of you." Bardock spoke with finality, before returning to his meal.

Everyone turned to Bulma as her face turned a deep scarlet, "I am not a child. I am a graduate, the top of my class, from the Citadel. I make my own decisions in my life."

Bardock grimaced, placing his utensils down carefully, "Your wellbeing is my responsibility." He rose from his chair, placing his palms on the table as he leaned towards Bulma, "As long as you live under my roof, you will do as I say. You will not be going to this celebration, and that is final."

Bulma sprang to her feet, slamming her own hands down on the table, coming almost nose to nose with the large Saiyan, "You are not my father!"

Bulma turned, kicking her chair as she stormed out of the house.

Quick as a flash Chichi followed.

 


	15. *update*

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sorry guys, I hit a block. I've really been trying to focus on chapter 11, but future chapters are in my head demanding to be written before I can focus on this chapter again.  
> Additionally, I work food service and it's been CRAZY.  
> Worked 8 days straight, including Thanksgiving. My daughter's 8th birthday was yesterday, and so was the first night of Hannukah. My husband's a Christian so he does Christmas, but even so the holiday season is a complete nightmare at work. Anecdote: I had a lady pull a taser on another customer in my drive-thru, THAT kind of crazy.  
> So, once I get the REAL chp 11 posted, I'm going to kick this chapter to the end past the epilogue.  
> I'm pretty committed at 20 chapters, but I don't think you guys can see the chapter names just yet.  
> So, gimme a few more weeks and I can start banging out chapters again!  
> Happy Holidays!


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